The

Dry Fasting Miracle:

From Deprive to Thrive

Luke Coutinho

The Dry Fasting Miracle:
From Deprive to Thrive

Luke Coutinho



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Disclaimer: No part of this book is meant or intended to be a substitute for
medicine or any treatment you are undergoing. Always seek advice from your
doctor before starting any fast.

Before I begin, I want to share this with each of you. About 45 days ago, a
mother walked into my office with a nine-year-old boy with GBM, a deadly and
aggressive brain cancer. The boy was half-conscious, his body bloated with
months of steroids and arms pricked with so many needles that he had marks all
over. His mother had come without an appointment because the doctors just told
her that her son had less than a few days to live. We discussed the case and with
her consent, I began the dry fast regimen for the boy. The good thing was the
boy had no appetite and spent the day sleeping. I thought I would make use of
the low appetite and let him dry fast. The family decided on their own to stop all
medication and treatment and just be home as the doctors advised.

The dry fast started; several hours passed and after roughly 48 hours, he was
thirsty. So he was fed water and a few hours later, he was hungry, so we gave
him a fruit. In the next building phase, we gave him more fruit and water, and a
little bit of castor oil. A few days later, the mother reported a change in energy in
the boy. He walked into the living room asking for some food. He was fed some
grains and lentils. He puked it all out and slept. Now it’s the second month since
the boy started this regimen and he is still alive.

Please pause and offer him and the family loads of prayers, energy and healing.
The only thing he is doing is dry fasting and by God’s grace and my belief, I
believe his body is hopefully healing and repairing. Let us pray that he survives.

All I want to say through this book is that you lose nothing, absolutely nothing,
by trying Dry Fasting (DF). After all, there is science and then there are
miracles...

“I have been dry fasting for a few weeks now. About twice a week. My
left knee pain is constant. It has been so almost for the past five years
after bearing the weight of triplets during my pregnancy. Always there.
Disturbed sleep due to pain. Have been doing a lot of things to improve
it as I believe I can overcome it. So had anti-inflammatory powder,
seeds, raw and anti-inflammatory food, and supplements. All this helped
my D3 levels to come up from 3 to 52. But the pain wouldn’t go away.
Then I started dry fasting twice a week. I still get headaches whenever I
dry fast but I don’t give up because the relief from the pain is
phenomenal. I urge everyone suffering from arthritis to please dry fast at
least twice or thrice a week. It works. It’s a natural painkiller. I’m
nowhere close to being fully healed but I know I can do it now with DF.
Just thought of sharing as I know arthritis had been discussed so many
times and the pain is unmanageable. Thanks, Luke for this powerful
weapon you have introduced us to.”
-Aruna Anand

“Namaste Luke, all the way from Dubai. I started my dry fasting trial a
couple of days ago. Today is the third day of fasting and I feel wow! Still
fasting and I must tell you the meditative experience during the fast has
taken a different dimension altogether. I feel well-balanced and am
experiencing a high-energy field. Thanks for being instrumental in this
experience. I am 40 years old and on medication for various health
conditions like diabetes, hypertension and hypothyroidism, but nothing
could stop me from giving it a shot and understanding my body better.
Cheers to reset 2018. Let’s make a healthy and happy world. Way to go,
Luke and team!”
-Kavitha K Nair

“Hi, I would love to share my fasting experience with you. I have dry
fasted multiple times in my life. Every year when Shravan or Jain
Chaumasa started, I used to start fasting on particular days. In the end, I
did three days water fasting too. I have had multiple benefits from dry
fasting. I just have no words to express my experience. It is beyond me,
the only experience I can say was greater to me than any other
experience. Prayers for the world. Peace was flowing purely within me
every moment. There was not a single person who didn’t compliment me
for the tremendous glow on my face. It was all new, I was all new. On
the fifth day, when I passed very black motion, it was clear to me that
100% toxins were out of my intestines. I could feel it daily in my urine
too. The next best thing was that my skin started peeling off by itself in
parts from here and there, and I got new illuminated skin as if my face
was lit by a bulb. I can’t even describe my hair. My spiritual and
emotional selves were at their peak during that phase. I became more
and more humble and positive, the best version of myself. I thought I
could write about this. It took a few days for my body to adapt to normal
food again. Now every year, I fast for three days at least in a row and
feel very good for my body. For one or two days, I am a little low on
energy but this bounces back to normal after breaking the fast. Hugs!”
-Shilpa Jain


“Hi Luke, I am amazed by the way you help not only your clients but
everyone around the world. I live in California and I am able to follow
you just because of your approachability via Facebook. I practise dry
fast with the help of the guidelines you’ve provided in your videos. I also
practise intermittent fasting regularly. I have almost fasted regularly and
I see a lot of energy gain. I cannot even imagine that I have so much
energy to do my chores after coming from work. I am an RA patient with
other complications like thyroid and PCOD. I used to be in pain 24*7 in
different parts of my body. I felt tired and lethargic all the time,
especially after work. No energy to even cook dinner. However, now
after dry fasting, I am able to come home, make dinner, tidy up the
kitchen, and most importantly, sleep very well (which was a huge
problem for many years). Thank you is a simple word to convey my
gratitude to you.”
-Keerthy Puttagunta
Index

Foreword by Luke
Foreword by Taarika
What is Dry Fasting?
Types of Dry Fasting
History of Dry Fasting
Where was Dry Fasting All This Time
Why is Dry Fasting the Most Superior Form of Cleansing?
Detoxification Physiology Behind Dry Fasting
What Happens Internally During Fasting?
Benefits of Dry Fasting: Body, Mind and Soul
Dry Fasting and the Vagus Nerve
Preparing Yourself for the Fast Physically and Emotionally
Dos and Don’ts of Dry Fasting
Symptoms Faced During the Course of Dry Fasting and Ways to Handle
Them
How to Break the Fast
Frequency and Duration of the Fast
Contraindications
FAQs
Some Powerful Testimonials that Poured in After the Three-day Global Dry
Fast
References
Gratitude
Foreword by Luke

This book is dedicated to every human being in the world with the love and hope
that they may understand the miracle of life and the intelligence and immense
power of the human body and its ability to heal and prevent. Many people’s faith
will be shaken and destroyed when death or disease or suffering happens, and we
lose faith in the human body’s intelligence and miracles. I hope that somehow
we can get inspired to slowly align back with nature and use the body alongside
whatever alternative method of treatment we choose to prevent and heal.

In no way has this book been written to condemn anyone or any system of
medicine or put down doctors of medicine. It is considered to be ‘magic’ that we
can all use in our lives when it comes to healing, prevention and possibly curing
disease, especially when medicine gives up on disease. Imagine, just imagine the
beauty if it can all work together – medicine when required and fasting, an
integrative beautiful powerful prevention and healing system. From cancer to
well-being, explore the miracle of dry fasting.

I dedicate this book to my beloved family, my beautiful girl Tyanna Brooklyn
and my Sangha.

I dedicate these writings to Sheikha Noura Al Nuaimi, who inspired me to use
dry fasting with patients across the world and who is no more today and in a
better place.

May God bless her soul.

My gratitude to Sheikh Abdul Aziz A. Al Nuaimi (The Green Sheikh) for the
inspiration I gained from our deep conversation on health, the human body and
mind. In the words of the Green Sheikh, Sheikh Abdul Aziz A. Al Nuaimi, “We
must aim to make food our medicine and not medicine our food. One word you
can change the world with is FAST. Another word that can also change the
world is SMILE. Fasting helps us adjust to as little food as possible and to have
a very normal life. It is highly recommended for the cleaning of the soul and
heart. It will get rid of the restrictions of the desires that control us. Fasting will
purify the whole body of toxins that are accumulated from the food and drink we
consume. Fasting is a deep spiritual practice that is meant to benefit us in body,
mind and heart.”

I started off as a nutritionist, treating and healing people with various issues
ranging from obesity, acidity, heart disease and high blood pressure to skin, hair,
kidney and liver problems; low immunity; and hormonal and weight problems.
Using a holistic approach that revolved around four parameters: Balanced
Nutrition, Adequate Exercise, Quality Sleep and Emotional Detoxification, I
pretty much figured out that most ailments were imbalances in the human body
and mind and when the body was treated holistically, the healing process would
begin.

I never had a plan or vision to help those with cancer, but as you know, life
decides which path you must be on. A few years ago, I got a call at 2 am in the
morning. The caller was from a reputed business family in India. I was asked to
come down to another state to consult with a fourth stage cancer patient who had
two weeks left to live. (It never fails to amaze me how a human gets to be God
to decide the fate of man. Even if the medical protocol is accurate enough to
determine death, it robs both the patient and the doctor of hope, faith, belief and
the possibilities of miracles. The patient believes because it is the word of the
doctor, a god, and the patient dies in most cases in that prescribed timeframe
because he or she believed that death was inevitable. When the doctor prescribes
this timeline, the patient stops trying because he or she has accepted destiny.
Anyway, I asked how I could help as I was not experienced in treating cancer
patients in the fourth stage. The family told me to come down and plan his diet
and lifestyle so that he could live comfortably and with minimum pain.

I decided to take up the case and a few hours later, reached my destination, and
checked the patient who was clearly in caxechia and very low on energy. I asked
for all the case notes, and medical files and as I studied the last four years of this
man’s medical history, one thing that stood out clearly, glaring into my face, was
low immunity. He had gone through almost every treatment in the country and
across the globe, different chemo radiations, immunotherapy, stem cell therapy,
etc., but right through, it seemed like no one focussed even once on his
immunity.

Now, even a student in school who studies biology and science will be able to
talk about how immunity is the first and last line of defence in the human body. I
started him on a plan to boost immunity. I cut off all forms of refined and
artificial sugar (how brilliantly these artificial sweetener companies have
advertised, fooled and deceived humans into believing it’s a healthy option,
covering up the deadly side effects on immunity and the human body). This poor
man suffering didn’t even have enough energy, so how would his immunity do
any positive work for his body? Immunity requires considerable amounts of
energy to work every second you are awake and asleep. His Vitamin D3 and
B12 levels showed a pattern of being critically low over the last four years.
Hence, we boosted that. In a week, he managed to gain some strength, not
weight, but strength. You don’t want someone who is sick to gain weight rapidly
and put oxidative stress on the organs, creating acidosis. You want the patient to
gain strength by consuming nutrient-dense foods to boost immunity, which in
turn will boost appetite. When the body cuts appetite, it is mostly doing so to
conserve energy to use for healing and boosting immunity. Three weeks later,
the patient was walking around. In the fourth week, he began to deteriorate
again. He could not hold onto food, he was either vomiting or passing it all out.
The only option I was left with was to use what I had been witness to a couple of
years before in Mexico, and after researching deeply into that experience over
the last few months, I decided to use it on this patient with the permission of the
family. Of course, the doctors were appalled because their ‘prescribed timeline’
had apparently failed.

I put the patient on fasting with water for one week. Just water for 18 hours and
then a little fruit and some protein – nuts and seeds – in the ‘non-fasting’ period.
This worked for the patient as he had no appetite and was happy not to eat and
just rest and sleep. There were two days in that week where he fasted for 24
hours on just water. By the end of the week, his energy levels were steadily
rising. His complete blood count showed low platelets and a low WBC count. I
started him on a dry fast. A complete fast with no food and no water. He fasted
easily for 18 hours for the next three days, consuming fruits, a variation of pure
castor and coconut oil, nuts, seeds and sometimes lightly cooked rice and moong
beans in the building phase. His immunity and health got stronger and stronger.
The man lived on for a little more than six months. I simply owe it to strong
immunity and the principle of fasting. My path towards treating and healing
people with cancer began from then on with a complete focus on boosting
immunity by using an integrative approach with doctors.

The human body has an intelligence and brilliance of its own. Human beings
have become way too arrogant; they think that a chemically induced warfare on
the human body and mind is the way to treat and heal a person. I am not against
conventional medicine and treatment or doctors and specialists. What I am
against is the fact that everything natural has been suppressed or either cleverly
‘not studied’ or ‘not researched’. Why would any massive company invest
money in studying and researching on methods and ‘nature’ that cannot bring in
profits and which may actually truly heal a person and give them back the gift of
health? There is no money in being healthy or dead; all of the money and huge
profits to be made are in keeping people chronically ill.

Just take a good look around and you see a rising number of people suffering
and dying. Despite all the fancy technology, treatment and expensive hospitals,
you find people caught in a vicious trap of drug after drug, with no focus on side
effects that then lead to other health issues. Side effects are ‘accepted’ as part of
the treatment, never knowing that those very side effects cause more deadly
issues in the human body and mind.

Like I said, I’m not against conventional treatments or doctors. Medicine has
come a long way in terms of disease management and there are life-saving drugs
and treatments that have given thousands and thousands of people comfort,
freedom from pain, a new life and health. When it comes to lifestyle-induced
diseases which range from most cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, hormonal
imbalances, cancers, organ failure, etc., the very fact that they are termed ‘
lifestyle diseases’ and are only treated with chemicals and drugs and not ‘change
in lifestyle’ or advice to ‘ change lifestyle’, we fail and that’s why no one’s
getting better. Very few do; the rest perish slowly; they suffer slowly consuming
drug after drug, because the root cause of their lifestyle disease was never
addressed, only suppressed.

Of course, there are many conditions that are genetic and rare, and lifestyle
changes may not be the only solution, but what about the rest? Those numbers
are massive. Every one of those ailments can be connected to poor lifestyle
choices and habits that revolve around nutrition, movement or exercise, sleep
and emotional health, and yet we only rely on a chemical drug with side effects
to suppress the symptoms. Even when it comes to genetics, most people say,
“Oh, it’s genetic. My mum had it, so I got it.” Maybe that’s true, and maybe it’s
not. Maybe a poor lifestyle triggered the gene which could have otherwise
stayed dormant. We all have good and bad genes, but it takes the wrong
environment and a trigger to push that bad gene into action, manifesting into
disease, and of course, sometimes, it’s just highly genetic irrespective of how
healthy one may be.

When we ‘integrate’ the best of both worlds – conventional medicine and nature
– we see the possibility to heal; we create a platform for possible healing and
prevention. I’m not talking about crazy snake oils or so-called magic pills. I’m
talking about integrating your conventional treatment with lifestyle. If someone
is putting drugs into your body or toxic chemo, you must be making lifestyle
changes alongside. For example, chemotherapy depletes every class A protein,
most vitamins and minerals from the human body in its finest attempt to kill the
cancer cells. These lost vitamins and minerals, if not replenished, further
decrease immunity, the only thing that can heal us and protect us and keep the
cancer or disease from coming back. Does this mean we jump on the ‘vitamin
wagon’ and start pumping ourselves with vitamins and minerals? Absolutely not.
Firstly, several vitamins and antioxidants are known to conflict with chemo and
certain drugs, reducing the efficacy of the treatment; hence one must take these
points into consideration along with advice from medical professionals and in
the meantime seek these lost vitamins and minerals from natural and healthy
foods that contain them. And then there is nature. I’m not saying just replace
your doctors’ advice or treatment with nature, although in many many cases, that
has worked for so many people. That choice is an individual one and we should
know we are responsible for the consequences of our decisions, hopefully, the
right ones for most people. I am advising you to combine and integrate nature
into your treatment. Drugs affect the body, so change the way you eat, sleep,
move, think and breathe. Let nature use its intelligence and brilliance to heal.
Observe how wounded animals or pets behave. They find a quiet space to rest
and fast. Most sick people do the opposite. They eat more and ‘anything’, rest
less and are stressed all throughout.

Appetite in most illnesses reduces as the body tries to conserve energy otherwise
used for digestion (which is a lot) to heal the body and to boost immunity.
Today, people are constantly eating, munching, grazing, etc. The digestive
system is constantly producing acidic enzymes to digest, consuming so much
energy, which should also be used by the cells in the body and organs to heal,
detoxify and carry on other functions. Highly refined food, sugars and junk rob
the body of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and energy, lowering immunity and
creating other problems like weight gain and hormonal imbalances, digestive
issues and an acidic body.

When a human being has tried every kind of treatment and there is still no
improvement, just the suppression of symptoms, the human body will start
restricting calories, cutting appetite to harness energy to repair and heal.

The human body is amazing. We all have set points. For some, these set points
can be pushed to extremes and for some it’s different, but push the body beyond
that set point and it will start to collapse, give up on you and lead you to
sickness. For example, some can do with poor sleep for a couple of days, some
for a couple of weeks, some even longer, but at some point, the body pushed
beyond that set point will slow down through sickness or some discomfort. If
you ignore even that, it may just get worse.

Combining the power of intermittent fasting and dry fasting with lifestyle
changes in nutrition, exercise, sleep and emotional health and conventional
medicine (if the patient is taking medication) resets the body and mind.

A few months ago, we launched a Global Dry Fast and had over 5 million people
across the globe dry fast together for 16 hours a day with a building phase of
eight hours. The experiences that poured in were mind-blowing. From people
reporting the disappearance of pains that they had for years to better skin, better
blood counts, better energy, disappearance of swellings and so much more
(many chose to extend the dry fast to a week and more), and then there were
diabetics who attempted it who reported stunning blood sugar level changes.
Weight loss stories poured in too, although I must say that the goal of dry fasting
should not be weight loss. We should not make this a fad, but weight loss –
actual fat loss – is a by-product of dry fasting, as detoxification is so powerful
when you fast. The more toxins you clean out from the body, the better your
organs and cells work, the less acidic you are, and the easier it is for the body to
allow fat loss.

The concept of fasting has existed for decades across almost all religions for
physical, mental and spiritual health. We now integrate fasting into all of our
treatments and healing due to the many powerful benefits it has. Of course, it
must be personalised as everyone’s body, mind, environment and states of health
are different. Many people cannot fast due to certain conditions, and hence it
must always be done and supervised if required after taking permission from a
medical professional and expert.

As the human body ages, the appetite automatically reduces and that’s why
calorie restriction can actually prolong life and health. Today too many people
are overeating and that too the wrong foods. Most food companies spend billions
on planning that addictive taste of food, usually using salt and sugar, to create
addiction, which results in cravings and mindless eating even when there is no
appetite; overeating is one of the root causes of most health problems today. You
must eat less, yet not starve. The human body needs just enough to survive and
maintain a healthy body and mind. Even overeating salads and so-called health
superfoods will cause problems. Instead of feeding the emotions and voids in
life, you must feed your immunity and the trillions of cells in your body,
including the spiritual self.

In a few months, we have had thousands of people fast with incredible results.
People ask me if they can do this every day or make a lifestyle out of this. My
answer is to do what suits the body, environment, lifestyle, etc. If you are living
a clean and healthy life, you don’t need to push your body to fast all the time.
The beautiful human body comes with an in-built cleansing mechanism and it
works perfectly well when we maintain the body and mind and give it what it
needs. Fast when you need to. That’s why most religions encourage it only a
couple of times. Everything should be done to suit the body as everyone is
different. So there is no prescription that says do it twice or thrice a week or
every day. Evaluate your life and health and decide what’s good for you. I would
fast when I feel the need to or when I’m back from travel and have eaten too
much food from outside or when I’m sick or feel the onset of a sickness or
sometimes just to feel light and clean so that I can meditate and pray. Your body
always gives you signals. Please don’t make this a fad diet. Use it wisely and it
will be effective. Always set an honest intention before you do anything in life,
be it fasting, eating, working out, sleeping, etc. Set an intention and it will all be
fine.

This short book talks about dry fasting and how you can incorporate it into your
life. Once you do it for three days (16 hours each), you will realise how easy it is
and understand that you have the power to do it whenever you have to or need
to. That power is amazing, as right now in most cases, the only thing coming
between you and doing it is fear. Once you do it and face our fears, I can
promise you a feeling of sheer joy and a change in your health.

While starting anything new, there will always be wonder and fear or sometimes
just fear. You need to ask yourself what’s the worst that can happen if you
attempt to intermittent or dry fast. Humans have become weak in many ways.
We need quick fixes to quickly take away even the smallest discomfort. We need
to break a fever or stop diarrhoea, a bout of vomiting, headache, back pain, etc.,
the moment it starts, without trying to understand that the intelligence of the
human body is doing something to heal you and make you stronger in most
cases. We have very low levels of tolerance not just when it comes to discomfort
in the body or mind but in all relationships too and that’s why there are more
problems. Quick fixes can be great for us when we need it, truly need it, but now
it has become a way of life making the physical and emotional selves weaker
and also weakening immunity. The body and mind need time to heal and need
nature, harmony, love, care and gentleness. There are millions of people out
there who have been told there is no cure for their disease or their condition.
Imagine if they could resort to something as simple and natural as fasting. Just
imagine! What’s the most they can lose? Nothing. If they open their minds a
little bit, just a little bit of possible discomfort, there is the possibility of a
miracle, and miracles happen all the time, every day, in almost everyone’s life;
we just have to live mindfully to see and feel them.

It’s highly unlikely that massive research would go into this since if this truly
works, like it has for decades (fasting has always been used as a way of healing),
it can not only challenge the entire pharma and medical community but also give
human beings a chance to use their powerful and intelligent bodies to possibly
heal and prevent.

I am a firm believer that conventional medicine integrated with nature will
always put the patient in a better and stronger position to heal. The closer we
move to nature, and the closer we align the way we eat, move, sleep and think
with nature, the more we will heal and prevent disease.

Expect a little discomfort when you begin to dry fast, but the benefits you reap
will be worth it. It’s normal to experience acidity, headaches, fatigue and hunger
pangs in the beginning. As the body detoxifies, these symptoms will surface and
eventually disappear.

Many people will say it’s ok to have coffee and tea on an intermittent fast. This
is not a true fast in any way. Firstly, putting something highly acidic like coffee
into a fasting body is terrible. It is highly acidic and an acidic body is the root
cause of inflammation and disease. When we are trying to intermittent fast to
clean and heal the body, it is not ok to put acidic beverages and caffeine into the
body. Have it in the building/eating phase but never in the fasting or elimination
phase.

In this book, I have put in as many experiences of people dry fasting. We hope
their journeys motivate you to explore this therapeutic tool.

The worst advice to any sick person by a medical professional is to ‘eat what
you want’. This destroys the chances of healing and brings on more problems.
Food is medicine to trillions of cells, so you are either feeding immunity and
wellness or disease and suffering.

I encourage each one of you to try dry fasting; just don’t abuse it and make
fasting a fad diet. When the body and mind are healthy, we don’t need to go to
the extremes of fasting all the time. We need to LIVE life and not just constantly
do things for our health. Feed and nourish your cells and emotions in small ways
every day. That’s all we need. There is too much focus on health today and it’s
made to appear like the most difficult thing to achieve. Good health is simple
and we got to keep it simple. We need to understand that the human body
consists of the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and spiritual selves.
When we grow a little bit in each of these selves every day, we can exist in a
healthy and happy manner.

The journey towards good health must be joyful and not one out of fear and
deprivation. Fast but with the right intention; it will work miracles for you.

If you can’t do 16 hours, start with 8, then 12, then 13, then 14. Take your time,
pace yourself. We are all different but make it work for you, your families, even
your children.

Dry fasting aims to reset every function in the human body.

I wish each of you good luck and loads of health and love.

An ideal day of dry fasting for me: I start my fast at 8 pm after a light healthy
balanced dinner of lentils, grains, veggies, raw onion and a vegetable juice or
salad before the meal. Forty-five minutes post dinner, I sip some lemon water or
a herbal spice tea, followed by a glass of water and then I begin to fast till noon
the next day.

I sleep for eight hours, wake up, do my oil pulling, my yoga and meditation and
prayers, and then I start work. I keep my morning busy right up till it’s time to
break my fast. I break my fast with about 300-400 ml of water, which I sit and
slowly sip, swirling it around in my mouth. Ten minutes later, I eat some fruits
or dates. One hour later, I begin to eat. I have eight hours till the fast starts again
at 8 pm, so in those 8 hours I eat pretty much what I want. After all, it’s the
building phase and my body is looking for nutrition. I drink water every hour
and eat normally but don’t overeat. Sometimes I naturally don’t want to break
the fast as my energy levels are so high so I extend it for a longer time, and
sometimes I need to break it early, so I listen to my body. It’s going to be
different for everyone. Everyone is unique and different and hence we must try it
to see how it works for us and build the practice of dry fasting around what
works for us and not someone else. Just remember, do not go low on water and
food in the building phase. Never ever try to diet in the building phase. Respect
the building phase entirely.
Dry fasting is not about starvation and deprivation; it’s about moving from
‘deprive’ to ‘thrive’. Human beings are meant to survive and thrive, not survive
and deprive.


– Luke Coutinho
Foreword by Taarika

When I was young, I used to roll my eyes whenever I saw my mother and
granny fast on festive and spiritual occasions. I always wondered how not eating
could become one way of celebrating something. Although my granny and mom
had powerful stories to narrate about the benefits of fasting (mostly spiritual
stories), I continued to stay ignorant about it.

After that, the first time I heard and learnt about fasting in depth was during my
Naturopathy course. The benefits of fasting sounded too good to be true and I
was so intrigued to try it back then. But don’t you know how knowledge remains
confined to a book as we fail to apply it to our real lives? That’s exactly what
happened.

My motivation to try dry fasting vanished into thin air until I heard Luke talking
about how it was miraculously healing his patients ailing right from the simple
flu to diabetes to inflammatory conditions like arthritis and even critical Stage 4
cancers. This led me to believe that even the strongest medicine or best
superfood tends to fail before the body’s intelligence and brilliance. Even if
medicines work, its side effects may kill you.

Since then I was awakened to what is called dry fasting. I sat down to do
research on it and found article after article on how dry fasting existed ever since
life existed. Fasting is a natural part of life, as natural as any other natural
phenomena. It’s just that humans have become such thinkers and analysts that
we have forgotten the beauty that lies in simplicity. Therefore, even the term
‘fasting’ might seem strange and extreme for most of us when we link it with
healing a disease or building general health.


It’s time we realise the truth and power nature holds because today if we move
faster than nature, then nature is capable of finding every way of slowing us
down either through a sickness or disease. No matter how much we try, nature
cannot be ignored. The body, which is a product of nature, will only heal when
we align it with nature. Period.


My first dry fast never even lasted for ten hours because my mind gave up
sooner than my body. I felt slightly empowered when I managed to fast for 12
hours the second time. Slowly, I was making friends with dry fasting and I kind
of enjoyed what it did to my body internally.


Then came the three-day Global Dry Fasting movement that Luke initiated
through various social media channels months ago. I feel that was the right push
I needed. I happily took part in the challenge. My experience after three days
was nothing less than magical. What also made this challenge special was that
my mom also fasted with me, so we were each other’s support.

Here’s my experience day-wise:

Day 1:

I broke a 15.5 hr dry fast with a promise to embrace a longer one on Day 2. It
definitely felt like pressing the ‘reset’ button hard, something that Luke often
talks about.


From nowhere, I started feeling extremely grateful for everything in my life. I
had a slight headache but that was quite expected. I immediately used my deep
breathing drug to calm down.

I chose to skip my workout that day and just gentle massaged my limbs and
abdomen to keep the circulation going.

Day 2:

Slept beautifully and clocked 17 hrs in total. I could have gone on for longer but
I had a yoga session planned towards evening. So it was mere lack of planning
from my end. However, that in no way made dry fasting less effective for me,
nor did it dampen my spirits. After all, I had almost 5 million people cheering
me up virtually! I wasn’t really hungry, so chose to drink water and eat some
dates.


My yoga was at another level that day. I could concentrate better, hold my
asanas longer, breathe better and my attention span increased four-fold.

Overall, Day 2 was easier and I felt more in control of my body and mind. There
was no headache but only gratitude for all that my body was doing for me that
time. I felt waves of deep joy flowing throughout my body, especially after
knowing that so many people were in this together. The collective energy was
just so awesome.

I realised that dry fasting is totally a mind game and with each round of fasting it
gets easier to bypass these games that the mind tries to play. My family was
worried about me losing weight but I busted their myths by affirming that I was
fine, in fact, a tad bit healthier than before!


Day 3:

I clocked 19 hours of absolute dry fast. I had the advantage of working from
home that day, so I chose to go for an absolute hard dry fast (no contact with
water). However, that was just for the sake of experiencing what a hard dry fast
felt like.

What absolute bliss! I knew and felt that deeper healing had taken place, not
only on the physical level but on an emotional and mental level as well. I could
think with a lot more clarity. No fuss and no mess. I also went for a 45-min
medium-paced morning walk that day. It left me feeling fresh and energetic,
with absolutely no discomfort or dip in energy levels.

Day 1 was a little uncomfortable with respect to my bowel movements but Days
2 and 3 were back to normal. I felt as clean as a crystal! My body only
demanded premium fuel, so I could totally connect with people who gave up tea
and other addictions and cravings after regular dry fasting.


Even though the global challenge dry fasting was over, I realised that the good
habits remained. Ever since that day, I noticed a shift in my habits. Not that I
was a junk-food eater ever, but dry fasting simply taught me how to respect food
and my body. I no longer plan my options for munching whenever I step outside
because I have come to the realisation that the body doesn’t need constant
feeding. It just needs right feeding at the right time.


No one ever died because of not eating (unless it was a case of starvation or
malnutrition) but most died due to overeating.

Hence, dry fasting continues to be a part of my smart lifestyle change that I use
whenever I feel my body needs a rest and shutdown for a brief period of time.

I realise that many people have certain inhibitions when it comes to fasting.
They do not want to fast, because they think they are healthy. However, fasting
is not only for those who are sick or overweight. There is something called
‘immunity’ that everyone should think of investing in. If you are free from
disease, dry fast for your immunity, as it’s the first and last line of defence. Even
a person with a super-sculpted body can embrace it. Dry fasting can never
disappoint anyone as the body always has the scope for better health: physically,
emotionally and spiritually.

To many, dry fasting may sound extreme. Well, only if you make it a fad, can
you call it extreme. As with everything else, even dry fasting needs to be
personalised for each individual. There is no one fasting schedule that can fit all.


My special and heartfelt thanks to Luke for introducing this lifestyle change to
not only me but millions across the globe who are either healing or preventing
disease. I know for a fact that thousands of people, including me, would have
continued to stay ignorant about dry fasting if Luke hadn’t educated us about the
science and principles behind dry fasting.

I also want to thank you, Luke, for giving me a chance to help you out with this
book and to spread health through simple, tried and tested and totally
inexpensive lifestyle changes. You have been a constant source of inspiration
and motivation.

Thanks to my mother, my rock, for partnering with me in so many dry fasts.


Thanks to my Sangha, my pillar, for creating enormous positivity and energy in
my life.

I owe huge thanks to two lovely ladies, Anita and Aruna, for collecting all the
testimonials and putting them together for me.

I hope every human being tries dry fasting and experiences its miraculous
healing powers.

A personal message to everyone:

“Your health depends on YOU, and only you. No one else except you can save your health. Understand the
science and principles behind dry fasting and jump on the fasting wagon. You will see how much healing is
ahead. Start slow, and go steady.

Best of luck!”


– Taarika Dave Arya

What is Dry Fasting?

‘Everyone has a physician inside him or her; we just have to help it in its
work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest
force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine
should be our food. But to eat when you are sick is to feed your
sickness.’
-Hippocrates

‘Instead of using medicine, rather, fast a day.’
-Plutarch

‘All the vitality and all the energy I have comes to me because my body
is purified by fasting.’
-Mahatma Gandhi


You must always turn to nature when you are sick or afflicted with disease.
Nature holds all the answers and when you tries to align yourself to it, it
promotes healing and recovery. One such answer that exists explicitly
everywhere (ever since life existed) is dry fasting. Dry fasting is a natural
condition. It is the complete abstinence from food and water for a particular time
window, followed by breaking the fast in a specific manner. The window when
one fasts is called Elimination phase and the window where one eats is called the
Building phase.

Dry fasting or Absolute Fasting or Hebrew fasting comes naturally to animals
that are sick and wounded. They quietly retire to a secluded place and fast until
the body is restored to normal. It’s their natural instinct to refuse food.

At the most, they partake only of water and medicinal herbs. Ever seen a sick cat
eating grass? The body is intelligent enough to heal. When the crisis is over, the
appetite returns naturally. Homo sapiens also have fasting instincts just as
animals do. But unfortunately, when we fall sick we do not follow Nature and
continue to eat food in small amounts and later on suffer because of it.

Rewind the scenario to a thousand years ago. What did early man do? Since food
was scarce, people only used to feast when they hunted, otherwise they fasted.
This evolutionary adaption has made our bodies very efficient at fasting even in
this era. If one observes kids carefully and even adults for that matter, the
moment they get sick or hurt, the first thing that drops is the appetite. By
switching on the healing mechanism, the body uses its intelligence to protect us.
The appetite is lost for healing to take place as the immune system requires a lot
of energy.

The body is made up of five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. Fasting
cleanses the Ether element. During dry fasting, all the vital force is engaged in
curing the disease. It should be understood that the fast by itself does not give a
new vital force, but it removes the toxins in the body, which are the real cause of
ill health. However, dry fasting is even more beneficial if one practises it from
the very beginning stage of the disease.

Well, this is just 1 % of what dry fasting does. Read further to know the wisdom
of dry fasting.

“Completed 17 hours yesterday and 13.5 hours today. I never could
imagine that I could dry fast and that too with no hunger pangs. I’m
known in my family as a person who has no control over hunger. In fact,
my husband has conveyed special thanks to Luke for making me more
calm and composed. I have more clarity of thought and express myself
well now. On a healthy diet and happy!”
-Neha Gupta

Types of Dry Fasting

There are two types of Dry Fasting: Soft Dry Fasting and Hard Dry Fasting.

Soft Dry Fasting:

Soft dry fasting allows an individual to come in contact with water which could
be via washing hands, face, bathing, etc. This is preferred for beginners and
those who go to office.


Hard Dry Fasting:

Hard dry fasting doesn’t allow any contact with water, not even washing clothes,
bathing and brushing. When one dry fasts, the body becomes like a sponge and
the skin becomes highly capable of absorbing any moisture that it comes into
contact with (even atmospheric water).

“And I completed this global fast and gave my body the best of rest and fasting. All this while, the
best thing that happened was that I didn’t feel sleepy during the day at all. I was more alert than
usual. I didn’t feel the need for tea, coffee, food or water! It will be awesome if we meditate while
on dry fast; it kind of clears up the brain fog. I hope to incorporate dry fasting and meditation as
habits in my life. Thanks, Luke.”

-Anonymous

History of Dry Fasting

The concept of dry fasting is as old as mankind, perhaps even older. In ancient
times, fasting was regarded as a means of purification of the body and mind. If
one reads historical or spiritual texts, there are tonnes of evidence to prove this.
Christianity, Judaism, Gnosticism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, South and North
American Indian traditions all utilise fasting in one form or another, whether for
purification, spiritual vision, penance, mourning or sacrifice. Many faiths
prescribe regular fasting to prevent or break the habits of gluttony.

In the U.S., the groups most noted for continuing fasting traditions are
Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Jews. Several of our Biblical
forefathers have fasted for some reason or another. Ancient Greeks were great
believers of fasting and Hippocrates advocated it a lot.

Yogic practices, including that of fasting, date back to thousands of years. The
ancient healing practice of Ayurveda includes dry fasting as therapy.

Aristotle fasted almost regularly for greater physical and mental efficiency. Then
there were others like Galen and Avicenna who recommended fasting to their
patients as a part of their prescription.

Muslims practise dry fasting almost for a month during the Ramadan phase of
the year. Among the Jains, fasting has a special place in their religion even today
as is the case amongst Hindus.

Most married women all across the country observe a yearly dry fast from
sunrise to moonrise to pray for the safety and longevity of their husbands. This is
popularly known as Karva Chauth.

In Judaism, there are two major dry fast days and four minor dry fast days that
are part of the Jewish year where they begin before sundown when it is still light
outside, and end after the next sundown, when it is dark outside and three stars
can be seen in the sky.

Greek Christians fast for a total of 180-200 days each year, and their main
fasting periods are the Nativity Fast (40 days prior to Christmas), Lent (48 days
prior to Easter) and the Assumption (15 days in August).

“The best part is that my sinus pain is gone. Craving for food especially
when I’m out of the house has stopped. I can control my hunger. My
mind is calm. I can understand my body much better!”
-Rameet Kaur
Where was Dry Fasting All This
Time

Dry fasting is the most overlooked and yet most valuable mode of healing.
While it’s been a very ancient practice, somewhere we lost that ability to do it
because today we have vitamins, supplements, fad diets, exercise programmes
and so-called nutritional programmes which we believe will make us better and
give quicker results. But good health doesn’t have to be so complicated and
expensive. The simplest thing one can do is use the intelligence and brilliance of
the human body which has an in-built mechanism to detoxify without having to
constantly drink green juices and turmeric lattes. Although superfoods help in
staying healthy, health cannot depend on it. Hence, it’s important to get back to
the basics, simplify and do what our ancestors have already been doing. Dry
fasting is one of the most sought-after and tried and tested ways of tapping into
the body’s power to heal itself.


“Started fasting at 9:30 pm and was strong till 11:30 am after 14 hrs.
I’m a foodie and it’s the ticking clock that reminds me that I haven’t
eaten. (Broke the fast with warm water, followed by dates and almonds.
Then had one green apple and an hour later had lunch – hummus, bread,
salad and some meat. Ended with a cup of coffee (an addiction I’m
trying to gain control over). Thank you, Luke, for the path to righteous
living.”
-Anonymous

What’s the Purpose of Fasting?

We are made up of trillions of cells and our health depends on the individual
health of each of these cells. Dry fasting triggers a truly wondrous cleansing
process that reaches right down to each and every cell and tissue in the body.
This is like rectifying health at the cellular level!


The purpose of fasting is to give complete rest to the digestive system. In fact, it
is only during the period of fasting that the digestive system gets rest, as
ordinarily, we eat two or three times daily because of which it has to constantly
work.

Our digestive system (also referred to as Jathara in Ayurveda) is truly a
powerhouse. It’s constantly working 24*7 to digest, secrete, absorb, assimilate
and excrete. All of these processes account for almost 80% of the body’s energy,
leaving the remaining 20% for other bodily processes. When one decides to dry
fast, there is a complete shutdown of the digestive system. All the organs and
glands get a much-needed well-deserved rest and all the saved energy is now
directed to healing, detoxification, purification, rejuvenation, all of which could
not be achieved without fasting.

Many people make the mistake of regarding a fast as something similar to
starvation. Dr. Carington, a specialist in curing through fasts, explains the
difference between fast and starvation as follows:

“Fast begins with giving up food and ends when one feels hungry and
starvation begins with the feeling of hunger and ends with death.”
Why is Dry Fasting the Most Superior
Form
of Cleansing?

Dry fasting or Absolute Fasting is undoubtedly the most superior form of
cleansing. It’s said that a one-day water fast is as effective as a three-day water
fast or a six-day juice fast.

What makes it so powerful?

1. Our body makes its own water

You may not be drinking during the fast but the body tries to make its own
‘metabolic water’! How? As a by-product of the fat that is burnt during the fast.
When you fast, hydrogen released from the metabolised fat combines with
oxygen from the air and creates water. Unlike the water you drink, this
metabolic water is of superb quality, produced by the hard work of your own
cells. It literally erases any negative information imprint which the body had
before the fast, allowing cells to experience a kind of a rebirth, taking in any
available water from the air and supplying it to healthy cells. This phenomenon
is the main healing mechanism of dry fasting and it appears in no other form of
fasting.


So even though it is called dry fasting, it is not quite as dry as people might
imagine. Water (a certain amount of it) is indeed essential and undertaking
lengthy dry fasts is not possible in the absence of this metabolic water. Water is
made scarcer, enough to create a healthy competition among cells causing the
diseased or otherwise weakened cells to die off. However, in no way is water
completely absent.


The myth that man cannot live more than three days without consuming water is
untrue as the longest dry fast on record is for 18 days. The reason for this is that
the body actually is capable of producing its own water internally in the process
of metabolizing fats.

2. Targets and reduces inflammation and is immunostimulatory

Inflammation and low immunity are the root causes of any disease, be it cancer,
cardiovascular problems, diabetes or simply the inability to lose weight.
Inflammation cannot survive without water. Pathological bacteria and microbes
love wet terrain. A wet environment is ideal for the proliferation of pathological
bacteria, viruses and worms and any water shortage is as devastating as fire for
them.


Dry fasting eliminates inflammation the same way a swamp gets rid of
mosquitoes and other insects when it dries up. Lack of water is fatal to
inflammation. Microbes are annihilated immediately. The shortage of water is a
cleansing drought that is disastrous to the body’s enemies. It is pernicious for
pathological bacteria. So going devoid of water actually causes competition
between healthy cells and pathological organisms for water. It is a real survival-
of-the-fittest scenario for the limited metabolic water that it has.


“I have been dry fasting for a few days and I saw some amazing results
in my body. But it’s amazing to follow it as I just explained to my Mom in
Kolkata over the phone. She was saying her leg pain has reduced to 90%
and there has been a lot of improvement in her body by doing dry fasting
for only for three to four days. Thank you Luke and all members for
guiding and motivating me.”
-Anonymous

3. Incineration (burning) of toxins as opposed to flushing out of toxins via
urine, bowels, kidneys, liver and skin

Dehydrated cells act as furnaces burning the toxic matter. These are the weaker
cells diseased or otherwise, that are losing in the competition for the limited
water. Also, the body during a dry fast absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide and
nitrogen to manufacture its own amino acids. Since there is no water to flush out
the endogenous toxins, these are eliminated by means of a unique mechanism,
dormant during less rigorous modes of fasting. Each cell, thus, becomes the
furnace that burns up its own waste.


“Completed 14 and 15 hrs dry fast back to back. Because of this, I have
no UTI now, easy motions when I wake up. I can feel that I have
detoxified more with DF. Thanks a lot, sir. You are such a motivation.
Now I’m sure that I can eliminate all bacteria that cause UTI in my
body. Feeling awesome that even I can dry fast without any symptoms.
Will continue dry fasting whenever I can. I am sending you PRAYERS,
BLESSINGS, POSITIVITY. Thanks, Angel.”
-Sonaa Rajwar

4. Every cell of the body literally cleans house

Only the strongest and healthiest cells survive in the extreme conditions of
fasting, while cysts and benign tumours dissolve as a result of autolysis, a
process by which the body sacrifices its sickest cells for its own survival. This
procedure is called autophagy, the act of self-digestion by a cell through the
action of enzymes originating within the same cell. This demonstrates that only
strong, viable cells survive a dry fast and even a short-term dry fast can serve as
a powerful prophylactic against malignant tumours.

“I had a bad throat infection which healed without medication with only
one day of dry fasting for 14 hrs.”
-Yogita Sardessai
5. Dry fasting heals one from radiation exposure

Dr. T.A. Voistovish, a director of healing and fasting retreats, has had some very
interesting results while treating victims of nuclear radiation who had been
subjected to 400 to 600 Roentgens of radiation as a result of the Chernobyl (a
catastrophic nuclear accident in Ukraine) disasters. All of those treated using
fasting quickly recovered. They only fasted for about two weeks and all their
bodily functions were restored and cells regenerated! So even heritable
mutations can be reversed, with the restoration of the nucleic acids, DNA and
RNA, taking place. Even damaged cells begin to divide normally.

Regular fasting also helps restore the protective functions of cells and organs
against radiation damage. This is particularly important for those who live or
work in settings where one is regularly subjected to radiation or has been
exposed to some kind of radiation in case of cancer treatment. Dry fasting can be
highly effective in healing one from the side effects of chemotherapy treatment.

The process of fasting improves the mechanisms for expelling toxic substances
that interfere with the body’s proper functioning—radionuclides, nitrates,
pesticides, heavy metals and other poisons.


‘I dry fast every Friday for at least 20 hours. How has it helped me? I
face slight gastric issues on days when I eat food, but on the day of dry
fasting, voila, I don’t have the slightest feeling of acidity or any issues. I
feel lighter, more energetic. This is my third dry fast and I am so eager
to join the global dry fast. I have actually lost 4 kg in the past four
months by following Luke. I have only been eating home-made food and
have avoided junk and sugar. I’ve been eating only what my
grandmother used to feed me when I was young and, of course, I’ve
taken the magic pill of exercise, deep breathing and staying happy and
blessed!’
-Srividhya

Detoxification Physiology Behind Dry
Fasting

During a fast, it takes about 10-12 hours for the liver to use up all its sugar
storage. When the cells are finally done with digestion and the sugar storage is
used up the body starts burning stored fat and produces ketone bodies. As your
body enters into a state of ketosis, free hydrogen molecules are released. As
discussed above, these hydrogen molecules then bond with the oxygen
molecules in the blood and water (H2O) is formed internally. This is called
Metabolic Water. It is estimated that every day our body is able to produce over
a litre of metabolised water and this freshly synthesised metabolic water is much
purer as it is free of toxins found in most of the external water we drink.

Without external exogenic water, blood and lymph are purified intensively
through a sort of internal filtration process. Renewal of lymph and blood during
dry fasting takes place only thanks to metabolic water. As a result, by the end of
dry fasting, two of the body’s most important fluids blood and lymph are
detoxified. Correspondingly, all the body’s tissues through which blood and
lymph circulate are purified of external content. Hence, it helps in detoxification.
This phenomenon of purification is one of the main advantages of dry fasting.

During dry fasting, the body has a more powerful immune response and fights
inflammations more actively. All inflammations are fed by water, which is
clearly demonstrated by the edemas containing pus and lymph that form near
wounds on the body. When the body is deprived of an inflow of exogenic water,
it uses endogenic water very carefully – only to feed healthy cells. Damaged
cells, as well as various bacteria, viruses and parasites, suffer from a lack of
water and die.

During dry fasting, people may often have fever which is actually good, as it
indicates that the body is fighting infections. Each cell in the body is turned into
a kind of small furnace or reactor and the toxins inside it are destroyed. If a cell
is too damaged, it is eliminated completely. The increase in body temperature
leads to the creation of a strong immunological response. The concentration of
biologically active substances in bodily fluids also increases. These include
immunoglobulins and immunocompetent cells.

As a result:

1. Production of interferon (an antibody in response to the virus) rises.

2. Antitumour and antiviral activity increases.

3. T-lymphocytes proliferate.

4. Bactericidal capacity and phagocytic activity of neutrophils increase.

5. Cytotoxic effect of lymphocytes increases.

6. The growth of microorganisms and their toxicity decreases.

As this process of detoxification takes place, it creates vacated space in tissues
for new stem cells. Stem cells are released into the blood in higher volume,
occupying this vacated ‘space’ and promoting regeneration and rejuvenation
processes. Hence, dry fasting has a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell-
based regeneration too.

A Russian doctor of biology named Y. Romanov says, “One of the most
significant benefits of fasting was the creation and release of stem cells in the
body, which increases even more so during a dry fast! Basically, as the intense
bodily cleanse is initiated, old, sick, and dead cells are released in massive
quantities and eliminated through the urine. As this process takes place, there is
now more space for cells to be born, and so stem cell production shifts from
being dormant into a state of active production and stem cells are released
throughout the body in high capacity.”

After he discovered this, his research was later backed up by a study done by the
University of Southern California. Various experiments then followed that
proved that after fasting, the body triples its production and release of stem cells,
an effect that lasts for several months. These facts taken together make dry
fasting a highly effective tool to address acute health issues that are
inflammatory and immunity-related as well as degenerative conditions like
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cases of cancer.

“I have hardly visited doctors or taken any pills or fallen sick in my life.
But maybe due to too many temperature variations in a day here, for
three-four days I have been experiencing a tickling in my throat, a sign
that I might catch cold and fever soon. And that’s what happened
yesterday. There was a very severe pain in my throat with a rise in my
body temperature. I gargled warm salt turmeric water and I decided to
go on a dry fast from 5 pm yesterday. And to my surprise today morning,
I woke up with absolutely no throat pain. Body temperature normal!
Omg! So that’s the power of dry fast! Yes, there is weakness but this will
be healed with the rest. It’s already been 19 hrs of dry fast. Will do it for
24 hrs. Can’t thank you enough, Luke Coutinho, for showing us the
correct path. Absolutely contradictory to what we have studied feed the
fever. I have done 6-7 dry fasts earlier but this time I truly understood
and experienced the fact that the body has tremendous power to heal
itself.”
-Hetal Sutar

What Happens Internally During
Fasting?


Dry fasting has five stages:

Stage 1 lasts for the first couple of days of the fast or for about 12-48 hours from
the last meal. This stage is when the body transitions into fasting mode and for
many it’s the most challenging part of their fast. This stage is where one starts to
feel the hunger pangs as the regular mealtime routine is skipped. Most first-time
fasters start to feel a reduction in their energy levels. These effects can induce a
negative mood, irritability and impatience. Since the body goes into power-
saving mode, there may be a lowering of heart rate and blood pressure.

Stage 2 starts around the end of Day 2 and lasts until Day 7. A lot of changes
begin to happen during this stage, and there may be noticeable changes in
physical appearance as well. By this time, ketosis has begun. One might stop
feeling hungry and tired. During stage one and two of the fast, the body expels
toxins and damaged cells via urine/ stools.

Stage 3 typically falls between Day 8 and 15. This stage includes dramatic
improvements in mood and mental clarity and is the stage ‘seasoned’ fasters
look forward to the most. The body starts to enter into a ‘healing mode’. This
healing process begins as the digestive system takes a rest from the common
stressors and toxins it endures on a daily basis. As a result, there are fewer free
radicals and the oxidative stress decreases. When the cumulative effects of this
stage add up, it encourages healthy aging and there are fewer health
complications. Although this has not been researched enough, the healing
process seems to improve health for some.

Stage 4 occurs sometime around Day 16 and continues through the duration of
the fast. While there may be some changes moving beyond this juncture, there is
a daily balance that starts to set in.

Stage 5 involves breaking the fast. Stage 5 may come sooner or later, depending
on the fasting goal. How one chooses to end the fast is critical. Depending on
how long the fast has been, one may need to ease his/her way back into eating to
avoid discomfort and complications.

“I am amazed at the way I love DF... and the best part is I’m free from
coffee addiction and best of all no cravings...simply too good. DF is
certainly going to be a part of my life...twice a week for certain!”
-Chandrika Nair

Benefits of Dry Fasting: Body, Mind and
Soul

Body:

1. Boosts and protects cellular immunity:

Cycles of prolonged fasting not only protect against immune system damage
(also a major side effect of chemotherapy) but also induce immune system
regeneration, by shifting stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-
renewal. This is also beneficial in case of a wide range of immune system
deficiencies including autoimmune conditions.

When we starve, our system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do
to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed,
especially those that may be damaged. Hence, one may notice that the white
blood cell count goes down with prolonged fasting, which after breaking the fast
comes back to normal. The drop in WBC count during the fast serves as a trigger
for stem cell regeneration of new immune cells to fill up those vacated spaces.

Studies have shown that prolonged fasting switches off a gene called PKA,
which is the key gene that needs to shut down in order to allow stem cell
regeneration. It’s like giving an OK signal for stem cells to go ahead and begin
proliferating and rebuilding the immune system.

This aspect of dry fasting is a huge benefit to cancer patients undergoing
chemotherapy. While chemotherapy saves lives, it causes significant collateral
damage to the immune system and fasting may mitigate some of the harmful
effects of chemotherapy.

“I have been down with an eye infection with redness, itching etc. for
almost two weeks. I’ve tried many natural remedies and that hasn’t
worked. I only got only temporary relief. Finally, I was given some eye
drops for a week with no results. Last week I decided to dry fast on the
day I had the infection. The next day my eye redness had gone down by
60 percent. It was a dramatic change. Only later did I realise that it was
due to the dry fast as I wasn’t on any medication then. Thank you so
much, Luke, for introducing us to this self-healing method. Can’t wait to
do the three-day dry fast.”
-Aruna Anand

2. Heals inflammation and infections:

Inflammation occurs in the presence of water. Where there is no water, there is
no inflammation. Since dry fasting means going without food and water, there is
a marked improvement seen in inflammatory markers like CRP (C-reactive
protein) and ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rates). There have been instances
where an absolute fast for three to five days has cured people of life-long allergic
reactions and chronic joint pains. Inflammatory gut issues also get resolved as it
cleanses the GI tract and renews its mucosal lining.

Additionally, dry fasting is of great help in healing inflamed, painful and stiff
joints, as in the case of Arthritis, Gout or Rheumatoid conditions.

An extended and recurrent episode of dry fast has also been known to help
people battle against yeast and bacterial infections like Candida Albicans
(Thrush), vaginal infections, UTI and parasitic infections.


“Completed 36 hrs of DF today and was still feeling good. Had a little
headache but that was expected. The main achievement is that the pain
in the body and stiffness has gone down, reduced inflammation and my
fibromyalgia pain has reduced a lot. Feeling calmness and happiness.”
-Yashoda

3. Improve Circulatory system health:

It purifies the blood and lymph and clears blood vessels of any plaque or
inflammation. Also as blood purification occurs, the levels of circulating
triglycerides also come down, which has a positive effect on cholesterol levels.

“I dry fasted yesterday for 24 hrs and wanted to continue as my energy
level was high. I had no headaches and was full of stamina, but my
daughter said, ‘Mom, plz have something. You are always after me to
eat. Now look who is not having? As it is, you have done 24 hrs for the
first time. Next time continue for 36…. plz maa , plz.’
So I had to obey my darling and break my dry fast. Will surely do it for
36 hrs the next time. Well, wanted to also share that I had a sprain two
days ago, on a Tuesday, and the pain was unbearable. Did a lot of hot
fomentation and applied camphor mint oil too for relief from the pain.
The dry fasting on Thursday got me instant relief from this pain and
almost cured it. I have very mild pain now. Dry fasting takes care of
everything, I’m assured. Thanks, Luke Coutinho for inspiring us on this
journey of health and wellness.”
-Aarti S Anand

4. Heals the Digestive system:

Dry fasting allows the overworked stomach to rest. It helps cleanse the GI tract
and rids the body of all morbid matter. It also renews mucosal linings and
establishes good gut bacteria. Dry fasting benefits individuals who complain of
bloating, flatulence, indigestion, a leaky gut or constipation. If dry fasting is
done the right way, it can also provide relief from more complex digestive
disorders like irritable bowels, gastritis, peptic ulcers and H.pylori infections.
When a person fasts, the hydrochloric acid secretion automatically reduces and
this paves way for healing. Usually, pain, bloating and discomfort of all sorts are
greatly reduced. If there is any pain because of peptic ulcer during fasting, one
can tackle it by alternate hot and cold compress (5 mins each) using a large
flannel cloth across the midsection.

“My first experience with dry fasting for three days passed like a breeze;
this surprised me as I had problems with my digestive system prior to dry
fasting and I am the kind of person who cannot have a meal late…forget
about skipping one as it leads to headaches and gastric issues! I was
used to having three cups of tea a day...
Here comes the best part:
1. After only three days of dry fasting, I do not feel like having three cups
of tea. It is down to one.
2. Don’t feel so hungry — no hunger pangs.
3. Gastric issues are less.
4. No acid reflux.
5. Feel lighter.
6. Do not feel like having dinner at all.”
-Charanpreet

5. Heals Cancer:

Dry fasting has the capacity to heal and block the progression of cancer and even
destroy tumors. Cancerous cells are our own body cells that are mutated and
need carbohydrates as energy to multiply but when we dry fast our body utilises
energy obtained from the metabolism of fat cells; as a result, cancerous cells are
not able to multiply and there is autolysis and reduction in abscesses, tumours
and cysts too.

Prolonged fasting also lowered levels of IGF-1, a growth-factor hormone that
has been linked to aging, tumour progression and cancer risk.

Often times during cancer treatment, when the cancer neither heals nor remains
stable but gets worse, dry fasting may help to break the terrain of the body and
confuse the cancer cells by generating extreme environments that only normal
cells can quickly respond to.

6. Diabetes:

When it comes to diabetes, discussions and solutions often revolve around
fasting and post prandial sugar levels. Hardly do we talk about the health of the
pancreas. As noted earlier during dry fasting, ketone bodies are formed and there
is regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, thus increasing insulin sensitivity.
Dry fasting coupled with a tailor-made food plan is one of the most natural ways
to manage or possibly reverse diabetes. So many diabetics who observe dry
fasting regularly measure their sugar levels and on noticing it going too low,
break it down.

“Thank you for showing a systematic way of how to do dry fasting. I feel
good and it’s proved wrong in at least my case when someone says you
should have food every two hours if you are diabetic. No medication
since the last 3.5 months for diabetes.
In the window of delayed breakfast and dinner on time, I have water,
dates, soaked nuts and fruits and for dinner regular food before starting
my fast. Yes, walking does matter. The day before yesterday, I had
managed to walk 6 k steps.
Yesterday was less. So that also counts. Visualisation and affirmation
also helped me. I followed the left nasal breathing at bedtime. Like you
have suggested, I take ACV before meals and chew the food. And most
importantly, I try not to allow stress to overpower me. I just laugh and
divert my thoughts, literally snatching my thoughts from that ill moment.
And I give suggestions to my heart: it’s not good for you; don’t take this
gift. Return it. Throw it. Return it. Throw it. And it works. I feel light and
move ahead with my other thoughts. Small things make a big change.
Thank you, Luke Coutinho, for guiding and motivating us. Showing us
the correct path. It was the need of the hour for me. I don’t know how
much life we are destined to have but I just want it to be worth it and I
would like to be selfless like a flower, which leaves it scent on the shoe,
even after it gets crushed!”
-Tejal

7. Autoimmune diseases:

All autoimmunity starts from the gut. Today we live in a world where food is
accessible 24/7. We eat and drink continuously and never ever give the digestive
system a chance to rest and repair. The sensitive gut lining often gets disturbed
due to lifestyle issues and there is a slow corrosion of the inside walls of the
stomach. When the wall of the gut lining gets damaged, it allows protein
molecules from the food we eat to seep into our bloodstream. This causes our
immune system to flare up and launch an attack; this is also called
Autoimmunity. Dry fasting is extremely beneficial for all autoimmune and gut-
related disorders because the period spent not eating gives time for the gut lining
to repair itself and seal all the holes. However, care should be taken that it is not
done for a prolonged time as this would lead to accumulation of ketone bodies,
which need to be eliminated from the body. Hence, a dry fast for 16 hours, three
days a week, is recommended over prolonged fasting.


“Hi Luke, I saw your video on dry fasting and started fasting daily for
14-16 hrs. I also drink ACV before my meals. I have suffered from
irritable bowel syndrome for the last two years. After dry fasting, I felt
much better and my stomach pain had reduced considerably. I have
stopped taking my medications since last month as well. Thanks a lot for
all the details you have provided and your videos. It really helps me and
my family a lot.”
-Anonymous

8. Hormones:

Fasting resets the hormonal balance and thus we see a reversal in cases of
thyroid problems, Diabetes and PCOS. Study after study has also proven that
fasting is a great stimulus for human growth hormone secretion (HGH). It can
spike the HGH by 1300 to 2000%. HGH is crucial in the maintenance of lean
mass – both muscle and bone. This is why one doesn’t notice the loss of muscle
mass during dry fasting. In fact, the body appears leaner and much more toned.
It also helps build bone density, maximises workouts, develops muscles faster,
enhances the immune system and makes you feel alive!


“Today I have completed DRY FAST of 36 hrs. Feeling very light and
energetic; in fact, my body is thanking me for giving it rest. I didn’t have
any headache nor was I low on energy. I did all my regular work, walked
and did yoga and pranayama. Never thought that I could stay so long
without food and water, but affirmation and visualisation made it
happen. On the journey of lifestyle modification since the last six months,
I have lost 10 kg; earlier I was 68 kg now I am 58 kg (168 cm height).
Today after completion of dry fast, I lost 1 kg more. I know it’s not
permanent but it’s part of my lifestyle modification. Thank you, Luke
Coutinho, for motivating, guiding and inspiring me with all your videos
and posts.”
-Anita Singh

9. Weight loss, mostly at the expense of fat:

It’s obvious that you will lose weight during a dry fast. You may lose anywhere
between 1-3 kg during a three-day fast; however, that can be a combination of
water weight, muscle mass and fat. One must not depend on dry fasting to lose
weight; rather one must focus on lifestyle changes for sustainable weight
management.

If you find your weight has hit a plateau, then dry fasting can be a powerful way
to break that too. Dry fasting shocks the body with an extreme change in the
eating pattern and that’s what compels it to go into a regulatory mechanism and
bring about a response.

While on one hand, losing weight might excite some, losing weight might also
cause worry to some of those who are aiming to build muscle or are already thin.
There is nothing to worry though. Dry fasting does not result in significant loss
of muscle mass and is, therefore, the best way to treat obesity. If you are already
of a slender frame you can still dry fast as most of the weight is regained once
you return to normal food. Following a balanced diet after the fast can help in
maintaining the weight reduction.

“Today I have completed DRY FAST of 36 hrs. Feeling very light and
energetic, in fact, my body is thanking me for giving it rest. I didn’t have
a headache nor was I was low on energy. I did all my regular work,
walk, yoga and pranayama. Never thought that I could stay so long
without food and water, but affirmation and visualization made it
happen. In the journey of lifestyle modification from the last six months, I
have lost 10 kg of my weight, earlier I was 68 kg now I am 58kg (168cm
height). Today after completion of dry fast, I lost 1 kg more, I know it’s
not permanent but it’s the part of lifestyle modification. Thank you, Luke
Coutinho, for motivating, guiding and inspiring me through all your
videos and posts.”
-Pallavi Kunchankar


10. Anti-aging and helps enhance beauty:

Due to its effect on stem cell production, dry fasting regularly can extend life,
youth and vitality by 15-25 years. Dry fasting has an incredible rejuvenating
effect since it forces the body to eliminate weak and damaged cells that cannot
withstand extreme conditions. Cells become stronger and, correspondingly,
result in ‘healthy offspring’ once they divide. The skin, hair and nails glow with
health and youth. Acne is healed. The skin gains radiance. Fasting for prolonged
periods of time can also bring about peeling of old skin and regeneration of a
new skin layer.


11. Cures fever, cold, cough and other flu-like symptoms:

Dry fasting is one of the most natural and fastest ways to stimulate the immune
system and fight off infections. It’s an absolutely fantastic and natural way to
cure the common cold, fever and runny nose if practised immediately when the
first symptoms emerge.

“Awesome experience... completed 17 hrs DF. Worked out for 1.5 hours
while fasting. I was really worried that I might not be able to do without
water but it was not as difficult as I thought. It is really minded over
body. And magically, the soreness in my throat vanished overnight
without any medicine...I guess it’s because of the self-healing mechanism
of our body.”
-Rashika


12. Improves sense of smell and taste:

As toxins get eliminated from the body or the tongue, one can experience an
improved sense of smell and the taste buds get sharper too.


13. Increased energy levels:

As toxins are removed, one experiences improved energy and vigour.

“Hello, dear family, I have broken my dry fast after 44 hrs. I’m full of
energy. I ran 10 km each day. Here I want to share my experience of dry
fast...I feel so calm and relaxed during this fast…no hunger pangs, no
thirst…it’s the first time that I have enjoyed such calmness in my body…
love it.”
-Poonam

Considering all of this, it’s safe to say that dry fasting itself is not a ‘cure’ but it
provides the right conditions for the body to activate all of its healing powers.

14. Regulates appetite:

Dry fasting is helpful in regulating the secretion of leptin (satiety hormone) and
ghrelin (hunger hormone) and hence can give one a better opportunity to get the
appetite under control.

Mind:

1. Improved mental abilities:

It takes 10-12 hrs for your liver to use up all its sugar storage. Most people don’t
go 10-12 hrs without eating, so this storage is never used up. When your cells
are finally done with digestion, and the sugar storage is used up, the cells can
now turn towards healing. If all the sugar storage is used up, then your body
starts burning fat and produces ketone bodies. Ketones produce an alternative
fuel to the neurons that boost these neuron’s energy levels. This is because
fasting increases the production of proteins in the brain called Neurotropic
factors (exercising and dry fasting produce this). It is these factors that promote
the growth and connection of neurons and the strengthening of synapses.
Through regular episodes of dry fasting one can experience improved cognition,
concentration and creativity and reduced brain fog, stress resistance and
inflammation.

“Thanks! Luke Coutinho helped me realise that I don’t actually need my
morning cup of tea and a lot of unnecessary stuff, so it’s all in the mind
but ideally, we need to know whether we can do it twice every week and
IF twice.”
-Karishma Ravin Mehra

2. Cravings get crushed:

One of the main reasons we experience cravings is because of toxins. A toxic
body always craves for sugar and salt because that is what toxins (or harmful
bacteria in the gut) need to thrive. During the fast, when there is complete
abstinence from food and water and the resulting lack of what supports their
growth, these bad bacteria perish. The cleaner the body, the lesser are the
cravings. Many fasters experience reduced cravings for their age-old habitual
food and drink like early morning tea, post-meal desserts and junk food.

During a dry fast, it’s natural to experience a loss of psychological hunger, e.g.,
if a person practises medical dry fasting, psychological hunger passes in a day.
Hence, most people who practise dry fasting note that it is easier to endure than
water fasting, as hunger passes more quickly.


“The past few days were very stressful and when I am stressed out for a
longer period of time, I binge eat, don’t cook healthy food and eat all the
unhealthy stuff I can think of. This time though when I went to the
kitchen to binge eat and opened a packet of unhealthy food, I asked
myself if it was worth all my efforts of clean eating. NO, it was not. I
thought would it make me happy? NO. So I made a decision that I would
not feed my body crap because I was stressed out and I could not change
the situation around me. This time I told myself that I could not change
the situation around me, but I could change myself. So I dry fasted for 18
hrs and instead of giving my body slow poison, I gave it rest. At the end
of the day, I was happy that I was able to control myself and was at
peace with the situation. If I can do it, so can you! Thank you, Luke and
Sangha, for all the inspiration and motivation.”
-Kritika

3. Stress adaptation:

Fasting is a kind of stress to the brain because there is an interruption in the
supply of glucose to the brain for some time. The brain then adapts to this stress
by activating response pathways that help the brain cope with stress and resist
disease.

1. Nerves are protected during fasts.

2. Nerve cell circuits are more active.

3. DNA is repaired.

4. The number of mitochondria to the nerve cells increases (exercising also
increases the mitochondria to the muscle cells)

5. Increased production of new nerve cells from stem cells (at least in the
hippocampus of the brain).

Fasting does good things for the brain, and this is evident from all the brain
mappings of the neurochemical changes that have been studied so far. Fasting
can also stimulate the production of new nerve cells from stem cells in the
hippocampus.

Fasting kills parasites and bad gut bacteria that typically feed on sugar, which
helps alleviate depression and anxiety.


4. Epilepsy and other brain disorders:

Dry fasting is also extremely helpful in cases of epilepsy because it kick-starts
protective measures in the brain that help counteract overexcited signals that
epileptic brains commonly exhibit. Most epileptic patients experience seizures
and ketones suppress seizures. Fasting also increases the number of
mitochondria in nerve cells, since that’s the way neurons adapt to the stress of
fasting. By increasing the number of mitochondria in the neurons, the ability for
neurons to form and maintain the connections between each other also increases,
thereby improving learning and memory ability.

Similarly, dry fasting is of great help in cases of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,
ADHD and other brain conditions.

Soul:

1. Effective prayers and enhanced spirituality:

The practice of fasting is mostly associated with religions and for the right
reasons. Dry fasting affects us spiritually too. When we fast, it’s easier for us to
connect our physical bodies to our spiritual self. Without the toxins we put in our
bodies, we not only give our bodies a break from the digestive process but we
also allow our spirits to be detoxed. After all, what feeds us feeds our soul too.
It’s common for fasters to experience a deeper spiritual connection and a
prolonged meditation practice without getting restless. Prayers become more
effective and come from the heart. We become more grounded and are humbled.
Since thoughts during the fast aren’t so consumed by what we are going to eat
next, we have more energy to devote to spirituality. Dry fasting also cleanses our
chakras and more creativity happens with heightened awareness and brain
activity.

Once a person asked Mahatma Gandhi, “Whenever you are confronted by a
great difficulty, why do you fast?” In reply to this question, he said, “This is the
last weapon of a devotee of non-violence. When the mind does not work, the
devotee of non-violence resorts to fasting. Fasting is spiritual.”

No amount of surgery and medicines heal a disease if the body isn’t physically,
emotionally or spiritually aligned; the body itself must have the capacity to
restore balance. Dry fasting is one of the most powerful tools to attain that
balance. Even a one-day fast brings about subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle
change to the overall psyche.

“Luke, after the dry fast I feel something is calm within. I felt a sense of
well-being. A sense of control. A sense of rhythm. A sense of
synchronicity.”
-Sona Moorjani

2. Attitude of gratitude:

There is a development of an attitude of gratitude too, e.g., most fasters report
that they can really taste the fruit when they break the fast. It’s the same fruit
that may have eaten every day; however, being off of food fills us with gratitude
and makes us truly conscious of the flavour of the food that we ingest.

“I feel so proud of myself after the dry fast! I didn’t imagine that I could
do it! But your motivation and the positive feedback from people who
have done it motivated me. I feel good; I have not lost any weight but I
feel great about myself! That’s a real positive outcome for me. I look
forward to a day each week of dry fast; hence forward! Thank you for
this!”
-Swati Rai


3. Better self-control:

Dry fasting increases self-control too. When we fast, we learn to say ‘no’ to the
body’s most basic and powerful desire: food. Simply put, if you can gain control
over your body’s basic desire for food, you can learn to control your body’s
desire for anything.

“Oops, it is 11.30 am and I just noticed that I am still fasting. It’s been
three days – 16 hrs – I will have a nice glass of water now. Thanks so
much for your support! I never expected to manage so well. I am feeling
fantastic.”
-Pooja Deshpande


4. Helps us to know the self

When we fast, some of our nastiest character traits are brought to the surface
during the difficult parts. Fleshly lusts, anger, irritability, jealousy, and fear are
just some of the things that come to the forefront. These revelations are good and
healthy, however, because we are forced to deal with them directly.

Often people say, “Fasting makes me irritable.” That isn’t true. Fasting doesn’t
make you irritable. YOU are irritable. If you can learn not to be irritable while
on a fast, imagine how much easier it will be on a full stomach! If you can avoid
feeling jealous on a fast, imagine how much easier it will be on a full stomach!

“Successfully completed three days DF. Such a soothing experience.
Happy to have achieved my goal. My conclusions are as follows:

1. Only four dates are good enough to break a fast.
2. Having dinner at 6/6.30 pm has a good impact on the digestive system.
3. DF once a week is quite good to lose weight and regulate the system.
4. A person can easily handle DF while doing all his/her work. You have
to choose the timings according to your convenience.
5. It develops a sense of pride when you can restrain your hunger pangs,
the greatest addiction in life.”
-Poonam

Dry Fasting and the Vagus Nerve


One of the most overlooked aspects of the human body is the health of our
nerves. Much of what we feel, think, talk and digest or even how two cells
communicate in our body depends on our nervous system. Hence, it is also very
important to look at the neurological health of the human body.

Our body has a built-in mechanism for thriving and for maintaining good health.
One such mechanism is the stimulation of the Vagus nerve, also called the
Buddha Nerve. Each of us has 12 pairs of cranial nerves that emanate from the
brain. The tenth cranial nerve called the Vagus nerve is one of the longest
Parasympathetic (state of ‘rest and digest’) nerves that travels from the
brainstem and splits into numerous branches linking the oesophagus, voice box,
ears, lungs, heart, kidneys and abdomen, thereby connecting the mind with the
body as a whole and facilitating a number of functions related to digestion,
insulin, stress, inflammation, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, addiction to
stimulants, weight gain, tinnitus, autism, cancer, multiple sclerosis and many
more.

This nerve is basically connected to every part of the body and it performs
command-and-control involuntary functions in the human body.

Here’s what the vagus nerve does as it passes through every organ:

1. Originating from the brain, its function is related to depression and anxiety.
Increased stimulation of the vagus nerve activates the parasympathetic nervous
system, which means resting and relaxation.

2. On reaching the heart, the vagus nerve plays an important role in controlling
heartbeat and blood pressure.

3. The vagus nerve reaches the stomach and manages the digestive tract,
contracting the stomach and intestinal muscles to help digest food and send
information about what is being digested and what the nutrients get out of it.

It is also responsible for regulating the secretion of stomach acids, which is
important for killing toxins, pathogens, germs and bacteria that we may ingest
through food and water. The right amount of stomach acid also helps in the
digestion of proteins and prevents issues like bloating, indigestion and
flatulence. GERD (Gastrointestinal Reflex Disorder) is also partly related to the
vagus nerve because that controls the amount of stomach acid and closure of
oesophageal sphincters.

4. Upon reaching the gut, the vagus nerve plays a role in digestive enzyme
secretion and enhances the entire digestion process. We can continue to drink
jeera or spice concoctions (which is great) but sometimes all we need is
stimulation of the Vagus nerve for better digestive health. The good gut
microbes and serotonin produced in the gut play an important role in the
stimulation of the vagus nerve, thereby passing impulses all the way to the brain.
This is why patients suffering from depression and anxiety need to focus on
fixing their gut health as the first step. This nerve is also responsible for
stimulating the intrinsic factor that aids the absorption of vitamin B12.

5. When the nerve hits the liver and pancreas, it plays a role in blood glucose
monitoring and balance. Passing through the liver, it stimulates the release of
bile juices from the gall bladder which can help get rid of toxins and break down
fat.

6. Passing through the kidneys, they help in stimulating the filtration of toxins
and regulating blood flow.

7. The vagus nerve has a critical role to play in the health of our hormones too,
right from testosterone, DHT in males to progesterone and oestrogen in females.

8. Simulation of the vagus nerve has also shown as being very beneficial in
children and adults who have epilepsy to the extent that there are clinics all over
the world that offer electric stimulation of the vagus nerve. Small currents of
electricity are passed to stimulate the vagus nerve and reduce the number of
epileptic fits that children and adults suffer from.

It is thus extremely important to adopt practices that help to improve the tone of
the vagus nerve. The vagal tone is a term used to represent the activity and
strength of the vagus nerve.


While there are various methods to do that, one of the most natural, inexpensive
and quickest ways is dry fasting. It works in the following ways:

1. Dry fasting has an effect on heart function. It increases the Heart rate
variability (HRV) which in turn activates the parasympathetic nervous system
and improves the vagal tone. Whenever HRV is high, the vagal tone is also high.

2. The entire process of digestion is connected to the vagus nerve. When we fast,
we give our digestive system a break. Thus, an empty stomach that has shut
down its digestive processes signals back to the brain to divert all energy for
relaxation instead. This increases the vagal tone.

3. When we fast, signals related to hunger, satiety, fall in blood sugar levels, and
reduction in chemical and mechanical signals from the gut are transmitted to the
brain via the hepatic vagus nerve (the vagus nerve that runs through the liver).
These chemical messages help in activating the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve, in
turn, responds by lowering our metabolism.

4. Fasting also increases levels of hunger-regulating hormones such as
Neuropeptide Y and decreases the levels of satiety-regulating hormones like
CCK (cholecystokinin). This also stimulates the vagus nerve.


Apart from dry fasting, other ways to stimulate the vagus nerve are cold
showers, chanting, singing, humming, gargling, yoga, deep meditation,
diaphragmatic breathing, gagging, Buddha bowls, healthy socializing, prayer,
exercise and intake of Omega-3, zinc and probiotics. Since it is vagal ‘tone’,
everything that is connected with frequency/vibration and sound is also a
phenomenal way of bringing stimulation, activation, harmony and balance!

Preparing Yourself for the Fast
Physically and Emotionally


Preparation is key to succeed in life. Just like running a marathon requires a lot
of preparation, physically and emotionally, dry fasting demands preparation too.
One cannot wake up one fine day and decide to dry fast.

Before even starting to prepare the body, preparing the mind is of utmost
importance. Once you are mentally ready, the body will automatically follow.
Here are some of the prerequisites before you decide to fast:

1. Going through a dry fast is challenging on your mind and emotions. More
often than not, it’s the mind that becomes a limiting factor for all those who fast.
Therefore, it’s important to have a calm body and mind. Trust the process and
the body’s intelligence to heal. Having the right kind of attitude will determine
how effective the fast will be and the extent of the healing crisis (detox
symptoms) one will face.

For instance, if one is unhappy, fearful or too sceptical about the fast, this will
surely reflect during the fasting and post fast period too. Similarly, if one has a
physical injury or someone has just returned from a long journey, tired and
drained, struggling with jet lag, that’s not the ideal time to fast.


2. Do not directly jump to dry fasting. Learn and understand the principles and
science behind dry fasting first. Read up the literature, do your own research and
practise intermittent fasting for a couple of days before starting the dry fast. This
will help the body to adapt to the change better while dry fasting.

The reason we feel hungry at a specific time is that we are habituated that way.
Therefore, slowly prepare the body for a dry fast by doing intermittent fasting.

Apart from adapting to change, intermittent fasting also allows the body to
detoxify the system, so by the time we dry fast, our body is well prepared and
the healing crisis will be more tolerable.

3. Wean from caffeine and sugar products before starting the dry fast. Too much
caffeine can dehydrate you and too much sugar can only lead to more sugar
cravings, which can make dry fasting difficult.

4. Lower the portion size of your meal gradually. This is very important in case
of dry fasting which is done for a longer time. The uncomfortable feeling that
one experiences during dry fast like lightheadedness, dizziness, grouchiness,
irritability, all come from glucose/sugar withdrawal. So cut down the total
carbohydrate consumption before starting dry fast.

5. Eliminate meat and dairy well before your start the dry fast. This will also
eliminate withdrawal symptoms from fasting.

6. Having raw foods for a couple of days before beginning dry fast is also
beneficial so that the body starts to detox well before you start dry fasting.

7. You can also perform different cleanses or detoxes before going ahead with
dry fasting so that the healing crisis symptoms are less pronounced.
Detoxification and gaining experience of the fasting process before attempting
dry fasting is very crucial.

8. If you plan to do dry fast for a couple of hours during the day and night time,
adjust your routine accordingly. Make sure you keep dry fasting for days that are
less hectic and physically exertive. Have a look at your calendar and make sure
you do not have any parties or get-togethers planned that day. At the same time,
try keeping your fast day a busy one because it’s easier to sail through when
your mind is occupied.

9. Make sure that the sleep cycle is not disturbed before the fasting period, as
most detoxification takes place while sleeping.

10. It will be helpful if one avoids exposure to the sight and smell of food. In
Mexico, where dry fasting is done for therapeutic purposes, there are special
fasting incubators installed where there is no sight of food, only nature and
positive conversations.

11. Prepare and source everything you’d need when you break the fast, e.g.,
clean water, dates, fruits and home-cooked meals.

Observing a dry fast in the twenty-first century is something everyone should
consider, whether you are looking to heal or prevent disease. It is startling that
everyone in today’s world is toxic, no matter how hygienic the food or drinks
consumed are. Going through a cleansing fast like this is challenging on the
mind and emotions, only because we are used to munching and snacking all the
time. When we are no longer able to do that, we break down and get irritable.
Hence, preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for this is the best thing you
can do before a dry fast.

Sometimes you won’t even notice you’re fasting. However, there will be times
when you’ll be ravenous and possibly have difficulty focusing on anything else
but the desire to eat. Being aware of this right from the start puts you in a much
better mental state to cope.

12. Determine the type and length of fasting you want to practise and be
realistic. If you are a beginner, you may want to fast for 10 hrs; if you are an
intermediate then maybe 16-18 hours; and if you are an expert, then maybe 20
hours and beyond. However, there is no hard and fast rule to stick to the
duration. If you aim for 10 hrs but feel you can go on for longer, then listen to
your body.

13. Be aware of all the symptoms of the healing crisis you may go through
(discussed later). This is very important. Most people panic when they
experience a headache or fever but that’s very much part of the process.

14. Make an informed decision with your doctor if you have a serious medical
issue or are on medication that needs to be taken at a particular hour.

15. For patients dealing with low blood pressure or low sugar levels, it’s
important to do it under the observation of a family member or some caretaker.

16. Sustain your fast. A lot of times people give up in the first couple of days
because of discomfort and they think that it won’t get better. Unless you’re
having a serious medical issue (which you’ll need to talk to your doctor about),
breaking your fast before it finishes won’t benefit your body at all. There are a
few things to do to make sure that you complete your fast:

a. Set your objective: Before you start fasting, make a clear statement about why
you’re fasting. Is it

for health reasons? Is it for religious reasons? Are you trying to clear your
system? Make this a clear statement and remind yourself of your objective
during the hard moments of your fast.

b. Make a commitment: Sometimes it can help to get a friend, a trusted family
member or an online support group to hold you to your fasting commitment. It’s
harder to break a fast when someone is monitoring you.

c. Log your fast: Maintain a fasting diary for yourself. As you’re preparing for
your fast, write down each day what you eat, how you feel and what your
objective is. Do this during the fast, so that you see how your body changes and
processes the change to keep you focused on why you’re doing this.

Dos and Don’ts of Dry Fasting


DOs:

1. Make sure you are well-rested and emotionally prepared.

2. Try to start and end any fast with water. In case of dry fasting, an hour after
you finish your last meal, have some water and then mark the start of the dry
fast.

3. Ensure that you keep your mind calm and surroundings peaceful while fasting.

4. Let all destructive thoughts go away. Deep breathing helps to stay calm.

5. Expose yourself to the mild sun early in the morning to get adequate sunshine.

6. Bathing is essential to remove toxins (if you are observing soft dry fasting).
One can even do dry brushing to stimulate the lymphatic system.

7. Ensure you take enough rest as it’s important to take the workload off of vital
organs of the body.

8. You can walk and do yoga/meditation or whatever kind and amount of
activity that feels right. For a beginner, it may be tough to work out, but energy
levels after regular dry fasting only get better.

9. Stay busy and occupied with work.

10. Offer prayers, gratitude and practise meditation. Fasting is the best time to
nurture your spiritual self.

11. Be positive about your fast.

12. Ensure you are breathing in fresh air.

13. Complete your sleep well a day before dry fasting and post the dry fast.

14. Break the fast with water and fruits which are easily digestible.

15. Slowly incorporate light meals into your diet.

16. Start with small and frequent meals post the dry fast.

17. One can also go for a whole body light massage which helps to increase
blood flow.

18. Yoga, deep breathing, chanting and meditation are great activities to do
while fasting. You can even spend time reading spiritual texts if you want to.

19. Don’t ignore your body’s signals when you fast. Pay attention to how you
are feeling throughout and don’t hesitate to break it if you can not go further.
You always have another chance.

20. Surround yourself with nature and prefer to stay in cleaner environments
while fasting. While dry fasting, the pores of the skin absorb water from contact
with the environment. This is one of the reasons many dry fasting experts
believe it is best to practise it outdoors, in the mountains as opposed to cities.
This much cleaner environment is preferred as the skin absorbs water from the
moisture in the air. Sleeping outside and near running water in this environment
is ideal for longer dry fasting.

21. Recite positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are positive statements
that you say to the body. Your body is continuously trying to heal you and you
can support your body and achieve more profound levels of healing by saying
positive affirmations out loud (or just to yourself). Put this list in a specific area
that you will see several times a day and say the affirmation/prayers with passion
every time you see them throughout the day.

Here is a list of 20 such powerful affirmations. You can also create your very
own positive affirmations.

1. I have put my body in the hands of Mother Nature.

2. I feel amazing! I am amazing!

3. Hour by hour, my body is cleaning and purifying itself.

4. Fasting makes me happier and healthier and makes me more energetic.

5. Every minute that I fast, I am flushing out dangerous poisons that damage my
body.

6. I am in complete control of my mind and body during fasting.

7. I am strong and capable of reaching my goal.

8. I deserve and accept vibrant health and wellness into my life right now.

9. I let go of all that I no longer need. My body is healing quickly and easily.

10. I have abundant energy and a strong immune system.

11. I am deeply supported in my cleansing process.

12. Everything is happening at the perfect time.

13. I give up eating as a way to make myself feel good.

14. I turn to the highest power for internal purification and rejuvenation of body
and soul.

15. My body is brilliant and intelligent enough to heal me.

16. My body is a temple; I have full control over my body during this fast.

17. No false hunger pangs will stop me from fasting.

18. My body is becoming stronger and I am becoming more balanced.

19. I will carry my fast to a successful conclusion.

20. When I end my fast, I will eat only food that provides

In case of lightheadedness, take a nap with your legs in an elevated position or
practise deep breathing. In case of bouts of thirst, one can practise pranayamas
like Sheetali and Sheetkari. They help to restore temperature balance and
provide control over hunger and thirst. Hope this is avoided if you complain of
excessive mucus or live in cold regions.


Sheetali:

1. Sit in any comfortable meditation posture.

2. Close your eyes and relax the whole body.

3. Extend the tongue outside the mouth without strain.

4. Roll the sides of the tongue up so that it forms a tube.

5. Practise a long, smooth and controlled inhalation through the rolled tongue.

6. At the end of the inhalation, draw the tongue in, close the mouth and exhale
through the nose.

7. The breath should produce a sucking sound.

8. A feeling of icy coldness will be experienced on the tongue, the roof of the
mouth and throat.

9. This is one round. Practise 5-10 rounds.

Sheetkari:

1. Sit in any comfortable meditation posture.

2. Close the eyes and relax the whole body.

3. Hold the teeth together.

4. Separate the lips, exposing the teeth.

5. The tongue may be kept flat or folded against the roof of the mouth (khechari
mudra).

6. Inhale slowly and deeply through the teeth.

7. At the end of the inhalation, close the mouth.

8. Exhale slowly through the nose in a controlled manner.

9. This is one round. Practise 5-10 rounds.

DON’TS:

1. Avoid drinking alcohol immediately before and post dry fast.

2. Avoid stocking junk foods at home, as you may consume these foods when
hungry. It’s great to stock healthy foods at home.

3. Do not drink water. Not even coconut water or lemon water.

4. Do not take tea or coffee pre-, post-and during dry fasting as it can lead to
extreme acidity.

5. Avoid smoking, aerated drinks and chips post fasting as it can be extremely
detrimental.

6. Do not lie down on the bed all the time while fasting, unless your illness needs
you to do that. At the same time, avoid high-intensity cardio. Make sure
exercises are not strenuous and reserve energy for day-to-day activities.

If you plan to dry fast often and for too long, ensure you keep a week’s gap. If
dry fasting is done longer, the body gets adapted to it and is comfortable with it.
You can then end up losing the purpose of dry fasting altogether. Even religion
does not support dry fasting for a long duration of time.

7. Don’t take dry fasting as starvation; listen to your body cues. It’s important to
listen to your body and stop if you feel you are pushing too hard or too far.

8. Free yourself from anger, fear and worry.

9. Avoid feasting after fasting. Heavy meals post fast will be difficult for the
digestive system to digest.

10. In case of a healing crisis, avoid taking medication, instead lie down and
focus on breathing. The more oxygen you inhale, the easier it is to sail through.

11. Avoid sugary and oily foods post fasting. At the same time, do not ‘diet’
during the building phase. One needs to rebuild all nutritional reserves with
clean and nourishing foods.

12. It’s also recommended to cut off meat and dairy products as well, pre-and
post-fast.

13. Avoid dry fasting while pregnant or lactating.

14. Children younger than 13 and people older than 80 should avoid dry fasting.
However, short dry fasts for like 8-10 hours are safe. Children are more
connected to their body cues and will never eat if not hungry, so there is no need
for them to dry fast.

15. Avoid getting into arguments or quarrels. This way we demean the purpose
of fasting. Besides a physical fast, you must also observe a mental fast.

Symptoms Faced During the Course of
Dry Fasting and Ways to Handle Them


Sometimes things get worse before they get better! Just as a pimple needs to
grow to its maximum capacity before it starts to heal, dry fasting can give rise to
uncomfortable symptoms before it starts to show its true magic. Do not give up.
The very fact that you are experiencing symptoms means that the fast is
working. So hang in there!

These symptoms are collectively called Healing Crisis. It is the temporary
worsening of symptoms that occurs when the body goes through the process of
healing itself. Fasting stirs up toxins on a cellular and spiritual level, and that
brings all the toxins up to the surface resulting in days of discomfort. It’s not
necessary for everyone who dry fasts to experience it. Some experience many
symptoms, some none at all. The intensity of the healing crisis depends on the
level of toxicity in the body.

Here are a few common physical symptoms/reactions to fasting:

1. Hunger pangs: This is normal and mostly out of habit, mostly to eat
something in the morning. When you wake up in the morning, continue to do
normal things. If you are soft dry fasting, you can do oil pulling and brush your
teeth, although it’s recommended to skip brushing because the micro-receptors
in your mouth may get activated and force the stomach to produce stomach acid;
you want to avoid this. For most, things will usually get difficult at breakfast
time because the ‘need’ to eat comes out of habit. Let it pass, just practise deep
breathing and keep yourself busy.

2. Back pain: This may be due to toxins in the lower intestine. Blood vessels
that draw nutrients from the colon are very close to the nerves of the spine. Back
pain will often decrease after elimination of the toxins.


CURE:

a. If the pain is severe, then apply warm sesame oil and massage gently after
which you can put a heating pad to reduce the pain and soothe the back.

b. Soak a flannel cloth (any cotton cloth) with warm castor oil and place it on the
back. Cover the flannel with a sheet of plastic. Then a hot water bottle or heating
pack should be placed over the plastic to heat the pack. Cover everything with a
towel and relax.

c. Try and take an Epsom salt bath to relax and reduce the pain.

3. Bad Breath, Canker sores: Waste passes through the lungs, which are
organs of elimination. Bad breath will be a concern throughout every stage of a
fast. Slightly offensive breath is completely natural and part of the detoxing
process. Toxic build-up in the mouth and the absence of the washing action of
chewing food can cause an increase of bacteria between the teeth. The tongue
gets a whitish coating too.

CURE:

a. Oil pulling helps a lot in overcoming the bad breath issues, plus it also reduces
the bacterial load from the mouth. (Practise if you are soft fasting.)

b. Post the fast, you can even chew on a tsp of fennel-ajwain (bishop’s weed)
mixture often to keep the bad breath away and to keep digestion in check.

3. Cold and fever: Mucus is the perfect food for viruses. Toxins weaken the
immune system. When large quantities of toxins and mucus are in the blood due
to a fast, they can cause colds and may even cause you to break into a fever.

CURE:

a. Regular steaming helps remove the mucus from the body. Add 2-3 drops of
Eucalyptus oil in the water and do a steam inhalation for 5-10 mins twice a day
(with a minimum gap of 12 hrs).

b. Application of castor oil packs on the chest will help loosen up the mucus,
which can then be thrown out of the body.

4. Blackouts: While fasting, the body conserves energy. The heart pumps slower
and blood pressure lowers. Standing or moving quickly from a resting position
will cause the blood to flow to the legs, causing blackouts and dizziness.

CURE:

a. It’s always better to use the correct posture while standing or sitting, but
during a fast it becomes all the more important. Move slowly; avoid jerky
movements to avoid blackouts.

b. In most cases, this condition is caused due to a lack of oxygen supply to your
brain, so deep breathing would be the best routine to follow.

c. Lie down on a flat surface. Your face should be facing upwards and your legs
should rise a little higher than your head; you can use a pillow. This will ensure
oxygen supply to the brain and you will prevent blackouts that lead to fainting.

d. If it becomes unbearable, then it’s better to break the fast with lemon water
with a pinch of rock salt to provide the body with electrolyte and improve energy
levels.


5. Headaches: Toxins can cause muscle tightness in the neck and shoulders,
resulting in tension headaches.


CURE:

a. A few simple exercises to stretch your head and neck can help reduce the
intensity of the headache. Move your chin upwards and downwards, left and
right, and bend your neck sideways towards each shoulder. You can also try to
slowly rotate the neck in clockwise and anticlockwise directions to help the
shoulder and neck muscles relax.

b. Eucalyptus oil steam inhalation helps reduce the headache as well.

c. Take 2-3 drops of Lavender/Eucalyptus/ peppermint oil and massage gently
on the temples. Also, do deep breathing to reduce the headache and make the
detoxification process easy to tackle.

d. Applying an ice pack to the back of your neck can give relief from a
headache, since the cold pack helps reduce inflammation that contributes to
headaches. Plus, it has a numbing effect on the pain. And believe it or not, just
soaking your feet in hot water also helps get rid of a headache.

“Good morning! Successfully completed three days dry fast. Fifteen
years back. I would fast for 3-4 days a week. Later, I stopped fasting
completely and became a slave to food. Since 6-7 years I’ve had severe
migraine issues.

Every single day, the headache would start by evening. Skipping one
meal was impossible. My lifestyle had gone for a toss because of
headaches. Managing two small kids was a tough challenge. When I did
intermittent fasting for the first time, I was not sure how I would survive
on only water for 16 hrs. Surprisingly, not only did intermittent fasting
become a lifestyle (I do it 2-3 times a week) but now dry fasting was also
a breeze. It’s purely mind over matter.”
-Rajani

6. Muscle Tightness: The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin
irritation. The legs can be affected as toxins accumulate in the large muscles.

CURE:

a. An Epsom salt bath provides magnesium directly to the body, which relaxes
the muscles and reduces the tightness.

b. Light stretching helps to improve blood circulation and reduce the tightness.

7. Nausea: When waste is released too quickly by the lymph glands, some of the
toxic overload is taken by the liver and secreted with bile into the stomach. This
causes nausea.


CURE:

a. The most common tip we give our clients and one that has worked wonders is
a tsp of ginger lemon juice. This helps reduce the nauseous feeling.

b. If you don’t want to break the fast, then inhaling the aroma of lemon essential
oil or peppermint oil helps in reducing nausea.

c. Stretching and deep breathing help a lot in improving circulation, thus
reducing nausea.

8. Nervousness: The elimination of toxins can irritate damaged nerves.
Emotional breakdown is also one of the symptoms that a person goes through
during detoxification.

CURE:

a. Chamomile tea helps in relaxation. (Have it once you break your fast.)

b. Omega-3 fatty acids may ease symptoms of anxiety disorders or nervousness
and lift the mood by lowering levels of stress chemicals such as adrenaline and
cortisol in the body.

c. Exercise will not only make you feel better about yourself but will flood your
body with feel-good hormones called endorphins. This always works in reducing
nervousness or anxiety.

d. Inhaling the aroma of lavender or tulsi oil works wonders when it comes to
uplifting the mood and calming down the senses.

e. A soothing hot bath is always calming, and raising your body heat may help
regulate the mood and manage anxiety. For added benefits, stir in some Epsom
salts. The magnesium sulphate in the salts has been shown to calm anxiety and
lower blood pressure.

9. Skin Disturbances: People with problem-free skin may have pimples or boils
for a few days. A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood. When
cleansed of mucus and toxins, the skin will be healthy, soft and unblemished.

CURE:

a. Once the fast is over, keep yourself well-hydrated, try and drink three or more
litres of water to enhance the elimination of toxins from the body.

b. Apply geared potato or potato juice on the affected area to soothe it and
reduce the outbreak on the skin.

c. Applying ice helps in contracting the skin pores which prevents accumulation
of toxins in the pores that result in acne and pimples.

d. Last but not the least, coconut oil always comes to the rescue. Apply it
overnight and get the soothing effect.

10. Tiredness: Sleepiness is normal during fasting. There’s no cure rather than
giving into your body’s cue. Try and rest as much as possible. Taking a hot
water bath helps in getting a sound sleep.

11. Low blood pressure: Sometimes a person may experience low blood
pressure especially those who have low blood pressure always. It is not
dangerous. A warm water bath or a massage will make you feel better. You can
also do light exercise to get some relief.
How to Break the Fast


No matter what the length of the fast is, the best way to break the fast is with
nutritious and easy-to-digest foods. The fast should be broken with patience,
calmness and gratefulness. Rushing into eating only does more harm than good
because throughout the fast the digestive system has slowed down and the
digestive fire has weakened. It needs to be woken up slowly in the right way to
get the benefit for all the effort.

1. The first step is to thank your body for supporting you throughout the fast.

2. Then take 300 ml-400 ml of water, sip by sip. Swirl in the mouth for a few
seconds and swallow.

3. Next, eat 2-3 dates and chew every bite well. If you are running out of dates,
banana/ figs/dried apricots work well too.

4. At this point, many do not feel hungry. That’s fine. Respect your hunger
because your body is still in the detoxification mode.

5. After an hour or so, you can go for fresh cut fruits with nuts and seeds,
buttermilk, lemon water, coconut water, kokum juice, jeera water, barley water
or simply fruits. Avoid fruit juice and prefer having fruits.

6. This can be followed by clean, home-cooked, simple and small meals like
Khichdi, soup or your traditional balanced diet after an hour or so. Avoid
overeating in any case.

7. When breaking a fast, begin with small frequent meals progressing gradually
towards larger meals with more time in between them until we reach a ‘normal’
eating routine, such as three meals and 1-2 snacks in a day’s time. This is how
one can resume normal eating patterns.


The right way to eat meals:

a. Eating slowly will help you chew food better, which leads to better digestion.
Digestion actually starts in the mouth as saliva contains digestive enzymes; so
the longer we chew, the more time these enzymes can act on food, making
digestion easier on the stomach. Chew until the mouthful of food is liquefied or
has lost all of its texture. Finish chewing and swallowing completely before
taking another bite of food. This is a good habit to foster.

b. Avoid any tea or coffee at this point. Above glucose drinks; instead, have
lemon water with jaggery/ raw honey and a pinch of pink Himalayan salt.

8. Once comfortable in a day or two, we can add live enzymes and good bacteria
to our system. Fresh, raw foods are full of living enzymes good for our body and
digestion. Probiotics or ‘good’ bacteria is present in naturally cultured and
fermented food products, such as curd, overnight soaked rice, buttermilk,
sauerkraut, kimchi or simply fermented vegetables.

(With practice, you will understand your system and what works for you best.
Then you can use the method that suits you best to break your fast.)

Frequency and Duration of the Fast


While some embrace it as a lifestyle (and this tends to be particularly true of
those who restrict their daily eating to a specific window of time as in the case of
those who follow Jainism), fasting is not something you have to do for the rest of
your life.

It’s important to respect the science and principle behind dry fast and not abuse
it. Use it as a smart and intelligent tool whenever you feel your body needs it. It
could be after a weekend, holiday, travel, wedding function, birthday or as a way
to recover from an illness.

Duration of fast:

How long a person should dry fast depends on his nature and need. Therefore,
there is no special rule regarding this. Just like regular fasting, dry fasting can be
intermittent or prolonged. The duration of fasting would differ based on the type
of fast one goes for:

1. Intermittent Dry Fasting: An intermittent dry fast can be done by eating and
drinking only for a small window of time each day and fasting in the remaining
hours.

The distribution can be:

a. 16/8 intermittent fasting: Here the eating window is of 8 hours and fasting is
for 16 hours. This is the most common type of intermittent fasting.

b. 20/4 intermittent fasting: Here the eating window is of 4 hours and fasting is
for 20 hours. This is less common.

A three day intermittent dry fast of the 14/10 or 16/8 type gives most tremendous
health benefits, as it’s by Day 2 and Day 3 that you start to experience the
benefits of dry fasting.


2. Prolonged Dry Fasting: A prolonged dry fast is when one goes without food
or water for over 24 hours. This is not advisable for all (especially in certain
clinical cases) because the extended lack of water can harm your health. Water is
vital for the function of all your organs, so a dry fast should be kept short.

However this duration is never a hard and fast rule. One should start small and
increase the number of hours gradually depending upon adopted lifestyle and
comfort level.

One of the ideal ways to break the fast is by listening to the body’s cues like:

1. When real hunger is aroused and its pain is felt in the throat and mouth.

2. When the white coat which appears on the tongue during the fast is cleared.

3. When the taste of breath has become sweet.

4. When the mouth no longer tastes as it tasted during fasting.

5. When the pulse begins to run normally.

6. When the skin becomes soft and flexible.

7. When the body temperature becomes normal.

8. When the body begins to feel light and is internally energised in a strange
way.


However, not everyone may reach this stage and may still want to break the fast
much before they experience these signs. That’s fine. With regular practice and
gradual increase in fasting duration, you will experience this.

Frequency of Fasting:

1. Intermittent Dry Fast frequency: When it comes to intermittent dry fasting, it
can be done daily with the common fasting window method till you get into a
rhythm based on what works for you and by getting used to the fast.

2. Prolonged dry fast: In this 24-hour fasting method, you might choose to do it
1-2 days per week and eat normally the rest of the week. As long as you are
eating well in between, this method can also be done continuously every week.

Word of caution: Be careful not to fast too frequently; allow your body
sufficient time to rebuild nutritional reserves.

Contraindications

If you fall into any of the following categories, it’s best to avoid dry fasting or at
least seek medical advice and do it under supervision:

1. Pregnancy

2. Breast feeding

3. Kidney disorder

4. Abnormal levels of sodium and potassium

6. High intraocular pressure. Please make an informed decision with your doctor
in this case.

7. During chemotherapy: Dry fasting should be avoided during chemotherapy as
the body needs nutrition; however, post chemo is fine, provided it’s done under
strict medical supervision.

8. You are on certain medications that need to be consumed at a particular time.

9. Issues with thyroid (avoid prolonged fasting, as it can turn on the ‘fight or
flight’ mode and decrease thyroxine secretion. Short dry fasts with the support of
lifestyle changes are better.)

10. Severely underweight.

FAQs

Q1. I am new to fasting. How do I begin?

Well there is always a start. Start small though. Begin with short intermittent
fasts, then short dry fasts and gradually work your way up.

Q2. I need to have my thyroid medications in the morning. How can I
approach dry fasting?

Schedule your dry fasting accordingly then. You could begin it early, say post
lunch and break it in the morning the next day with your medicine.

Q3. I am lactating. Can I dry fast?

No, enjoy your lactation phase and feed your body well with quality nutrients.

Q4. I am pregnant. Can I dry fast?

Well not ideally, but if you eat dinner well on time and breakfast the next
morning, it’s already a dry fast. So don’t worry about observing dry fast
separately now.

Q5. I am a diabetic and worried about my sugar levels hitting rock bottom.
Is dry fasting safe for me?

Yes, it’s safe unless your readings fluctuate a lot or you are insulin dependent.
You can start dry fasting post your evening medicine and carry on till next
morning. However, everybody is different so if at any time you feel
uncomfortable, break the fast. Make an informed decision with your doctor. It
will be helpful if you could monitor your sugar levels regularly during the fast.

Q6. I am suffering from UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) and drinking water
is important to flush out the toxins. How will dry fasting help me?

Well, staying off of water and food for some time will create a very hostile
environment for the harmful microorganisms that are the very cause of your
infection. So hang in there. Observe the fast but make sure you hydrate well
during the building phase. Also, make it a point to wash your genitals well after
urinating.

Q7. I suffer from chronic acidity. Will eating and drinking nothing for long
periods of time not aggravate acidity?

If you are acidic, sort your acidity first. But also know that we mostly get acidic
due to toxins, frequent eating and faulty lifestyle. You can always start small and
give it a try though. Simultaneously, build habits in your lifestyle that help you
cure acidity. Get more raw and alkaline foods into your eating plan.

Q8. The first urine of the day after dry fast is painful and burns. Is that
normal?

Yes, very normal.

Q9. I cannot stay hungry for more than two hours. I need to eat all the time.
How do I even begin with dry fasting?

Dry fasting will teach you discipline. You really do not need food every two
hours if you are eating healthy and balanced meals. Prepare your mind and start
taking small steps toward dry fasting. Slowly but surely you will realise you can
live without food.

Q10. How do I dry fast in the summers?

Observe short dry fasts. It will be easier if you include the evening and early
morning window in the fasting phase. Hydrate well during the building phase
and live a healthy summer overall so that your body isn’t overly toxic in the first
place.

Q11. I have fever and my throat dries up very frequently. Show I dry fast?

Yes, you should. In fact, fasting during common colds and fever helps boost
immunity and recovery is sooner too.

Q12. I have a hard time passing motions the following day because of the
dry fast. What do I do?

Well in most cases, dry fasting improves bowel movements. However, if you
feel constipated, this would mean you need to check your water and fibre intake
during your building phase. If constipation persists, you can have a spoon of
castor oil before sleeping to get some relief.

Q13. Can kids dry fast?

Dry fasting comes more naturally to kids. They are more connected with their
bodies and hunger cues. Children will never accept food if they aren’t hungry
because their bodies are still in elimination mode. This is one main reason why
most kids are fussy when it comes to eating breakfast. So let them follow nature
and avoid imposing dry fasting on them. However, any age group from the
adolescent period onward can partake in consciously fasting.

Q14. I am a cancer patient and I’m not responding to treatments any more.
Doctors say there is nothing else they can do for me. Will dry fasting help
me?

In the absence of food and water, a complete change in the body terrain is
observed which helps tap into the body’s power and intelligence to heal itself.
Dry fasting helps confuse cancer cells by generating extreme environments that
only normal cells can quickly respond to.

There are a couple of mechanisms that happen during dry fast that can help a
cancer patient in this case:

1. Conserves the body’s energy so that it can heal.

2. Stimulates the immune system.

3. Sacrifices the body’s sickest cells (cancer cells) for survival. This can kill
cancer cells and significantly improves the effectiveness of the treatment.

4. Reduces any inflammation in the body.

However, it’s extremely important to make an informed decision with the doctor
before observing a dry fast at this time. If the patient has diabetes or blood
pressure issues, then it’s a good idea to observe their levels regularly.

Q15. Can I work out during dry fasting?

You can engage in light activities like walking, doing yoga and stretching. If you
regularly fast, you will notice yourself working out better because energy levels
really increase.

Q16. I dry fast for 48 hours. Is it healthy?

As long as you are comfortable, it’s healthy. Your body will tell you when to
stop.

Q17. Can someone with chronic kidney disorder dry fast?

It depends from one case to the next and on the severity of the condition.

Q18. Can I break my dry fast with lemon water or apple cider vinegar?

No, have plain water only.

Q19. I am already underweight. Can I dry fast?

Avoid. Eat healthy and well-balanced meals to bring your body weight within
the normal range.

Q20. On the one hand, it’s believed that we must avoid long gaps between
two meals and on the other hand it’s believed that not eating for long hours
is considered therapeutic. I am confused!

Both sayings are true. However, we should consider dry fasting as a therapeutic
tool and use it whenever our body needs it. Otherwise, follow a lifestyle where
you do not keep large or small gaps in between lunch, of course, depending on
your lifestyle.

Q21. I have been hearing that breakfast is the most important meal of the
day but while dry fasting I am totally skipping my breakfast. Please guide
me to the right path.

‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ may not be true for all. Please
do what suits your lifestyle. If your day demands you to have fuel well in the
beginning, do it. If not, then you can avoid it and wait for true hunger to set in.

Q22. Can I dry fast daily?

If you eat your dinner well on time (say by 7 pm) and eat breakfast the next day
at (7-8 am) you are already dry fasting for 12-13 hours naturally. And the habit
of early dinners has been practised for years. So do it as long as you are
comfortable. Dry fasting doesn’t mean it has to be for 18-20 hrs. It can be for 10
hrs too.

Q23. I want to adopt dry fasting into my lifestyle but I also love my lemon
water with honey, coconut oil and vegetable juices in the morning. Where
can I include this in my lifestyle if we are supposed to break the fast with
plain water?

You can still continue with lemon water and vegetable juice sometime after you
break your fast.

Q24. Can I do oil pulling during dry fasting?

Yes, if you aren’t doing dry fasting the hard way.

Q25. Can I dry fast during my menstrual cycle?

Yes, as long as you are comfortable. Make sure you eat well during the building
phase just to avoid weakness.

Q26. When is the ideal time to start dry fasting?

Ideally, a fast is not begun in the morning but in the evening. The reason is
extremely simple –maximum fasting time passes while you are asleep. As you
know, night time is normally the time when the body restores itself and heals
from diseases. By fasting like this, you allow the maximum opportunity for
performing tasks.

Q27. My work involves a lot of physical work. Can I still dry fast?

When we fast, we are meant to spend less energy as well. If your work requires a
lot of physical energy, then fasting may not always be for you. The healing
benefits of fasting happen when the body is at rest and doing minimum work. So
plan your fasts accordingly, not just for the sake of doing it. All of us want to
continue with everything we do and fast but it doesn’t work that way. We will do
more harm than good. Fast when the body does not have to expend much energy.
And as always, listen to your body.

Q28. Can I dry fast during summers?

If it’s summer and you are not entirely in an A/C environment, be careful of
fasting with no water. You might risk severe dehydration and electrolyte loss.
Try intermittent fasting instead. Choose to fast according to your day, where you
live, your health problems, your environment and the work you do. Fast when
you need to and also prepare yourself that way. You don’t have to make dry
fasting a way of life. Your body also needs nutrition…use it accordingly and
respect it.

Q29. Will I lose weight by Dry Fasting?

Dry fasting is not a fad diet and doing it with the wrong intention is only going
to harm you more. The intention of these fasts is not weight loss but to enable
the body to lose weight by allowing it to detoxify. When we detox, inflammation
reduces and the digestive system balance is regained. There is no short cut to
weight loss. In most cases, people struggle to lose weight because they overeat,
they are lazy to move, they eat less or punish their bodies with exercise, no sleep
or recovery. Please do not use fasting as a way to lose weight because you will
damage your health. Even if you do lose some weight, it’s only going to come
back as ugly fat because you haven’t really changed your lifestyle. There are NO
shortcuts to weight loss. Get strong, zip your mouth, don’t overeat, don’t be
greedy, and practise self-control and discipline. That’s more important.


Yes, there are some people who cannot lose weight due to medical issues but the
rest who are trying to find shortcuts to lose weight, please assume responsibility
for your actions, the way you live and the consequences.

Some Powerful Testimonials that Poured
in After the Three-day Global Dry Fast


“Gratitude, Luke. Not even in my wildest dreams have I ever thought of
dry fasting but because of all your write-ups and discussion on dry
fasting, I was able to fast for 16 hours now. Earlier, I was very scared of
committing to dry fasting but eventually, I did. Thank you for motivating
people like me. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will do it for longer
hours. Inspired and motivated by you all. Best regards.”
-Ity Saxena

“Hello all. Sharing my success story of 65 hours of dry fasting.
First of all, a huge thanks to my husband Prasad who introduced me to
Luke Coutinho and the Sangha Family! Being a super foodie, I never
imagined that I could ever stay without food and water even for a few
hours! But friends, one thing is for sure, the body and mind are way
smarter than we think! They just need a chance. I have NEVER felt this
light and energetic in my whole life, even after trying numerous shakes,
diets, superfoods and what not! Here are some of my observations:
1. For the first time, I understood the difference between the voice of the
mind (simple cravings) and the voice of the body (actual requirement). It
gets super easy to distinguish between these as I can hear my body
talking.
2. The body itself will tell you when to break this fast. There’s no point
overthinking! (Saying this as I planned to continue to dry fast for more
than 80 hours but my body asked for nourishment and I heard its voice!)
3. Whether we think we can do this or we can’t do this, either way, we
are right! We are born with unlimited will. Just do it and keep
improving. :)
4. I am a big fan of affirmations as they can have a massive impact on
our deeds. The ones that I used during my dry fast are ‘I am hugely
grateful that all my organs are working efficiently’ and ‘I love my life’.
Not to miss, I lost 2.5 kilos in the past three days! Feeling fabulous. :)
Again, my heartfelt thanks to Luke. You are doing a fantastic job for
humanity.”
-Suchita Prasad

“Did dry fast for 12 hours for the first time! And this when I cannot (or I
thought I could not) survive without water for more than an hour. Didn’t
think I could ever do this for this long, even though it’s nothing
compared to what many of you did! Just happy that I could.”
-Pooja

“What a wonderful way to dry fast with my husband today. I didn’t tell
him we were dry fasting until the following morning. (It was my second
time and his first.) I asked him to push by just one hour to complete 12
hours since we hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since 9:00 pm post
dinner.
He said he felt thirsty, I asked him to suck on his saliva. We then had to
do some volunteer work and he forgot all about the fast. Before we knew,
we had fasted happily for 16 hours, that too while giving back to the
community! He is ready for another round for tomorrow!! Yay!!!”
-Priyanka Muley

“For those suffering from the very irritating and sometimes painful
conditions called GERD, a couple of minor changes in lifestyle can bring
an end to what seems like a never-ending ordeal.
In 2012, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition formerly known
as the CREST syndrome. It’s a systemic condition which affects the
blood capillaries primarily and the functioning of many other organs in
the body as well. For more information, please Google because I
primarily want to focus on acid reflux here. As a result of this syndrome,
the two major problems that troubled me were Inflammation and GERD
and I was put on medication for the same. Ranitidine and Omniprazole
were the two major drugs that I was told to have for my battle against
acidity. And though I, religiously and with utmost faith in my doctors,
started taking the same regularly, I was not really very comfortable with
the practice. I started researching about it and realised that regular use
of these medications had major major side effects in the long run. I
consulted my autoimmune specialist regarding the same but his advice
was not very encouraging. So I decided to go off the medicine on my
own. But it did not last long because as soon as I stopped taking
medicines even for a day or two, GERD would come back again with full
force. I tried switching over to homeopathy but with the same result! And
that’s when I realised that I had to go to the root cause of the condition.
As my resolve to fight this disease became stronger, I came across
Luke’s video on the same (acidity).What he explained in not just one but
in almost all his videos made complete sense to me and so the simplest
thing that I started with was water – more consumption of water at the
right time and in the right manner, i.e., half an hour before meals and, of
course, more during the day. Believe you me I was off my morning dose
in just about a week. But for peaceful sleep at night, I still continued
taking Ranitidine! In fact, I remember writing to Luke for the same and
his prompt reply was even more encouraging. Determined to get off my
evening dose as well, I brought about two more changes. I started eating
more raw foods and moving more approximately an hour after eating my
meals. You see sometimes for chronic conditions eating meals two hours
before your sleeping time doesn’t suffice! One has to move more to be
able to digest it. And that’s exactly what I started doing. Also, my raw
meals are more towards the evening as I am a true blue Punjabi and I
believe in the Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dinner like
a Pauper theory! I am happy to announce that after almost two months, I
am off my evening dose as well. And except for an odd day of eating out,
GERD seems to be a thing of the past. It wouldn’t have been possible
had it not been for Luke and his incredibly motivating videos. So a big
thanks to you Luke and the entire Sangha family where every experience
that is shared keeps an individual on the right track. Also, I am gearing
up for #globaldryfasting now as I have successfully done DF a few times
in the last couple of months and I want to take it to the next level.”
-Neeru Sharad

“Hey, a big thanks to all you people in the Sangha and to Luke Coutinho
for your lovely wishes, suggestions and blessings. Was able to fast for 86
hours with water, i.e., choviyari aatam taap (three days without water)
and all Jain kriyas (including Pooja) at Shankeshwar Tirth. It was a
challenge to fast and exercise control over my tongue and body but with
the family’s, the group’s and God’s blessings not only did I fast but did it
without water. Even then I was normal as I did it with double the energy.
The schedule was hectic. We woke up at 3.30 and slept at 10.30 with full
day gng here in there. Even then we did not experience any tiredness.
Felt refreshed and blessed. Felt super happy that I could do more than I
had expected from myself. Have shared some of the pictures of my lovely
trip. Have prayed for good health and peace of mind for all of you…
once again tysm.”
-Chandrika Dhedhiya

“Did my first dry fast of 12 hours. Opened the fast with my thyroid meds,
hot water lemon and honey. Had fruit after half hour. It was tough going
as I’m used to nibbling. And I felt thirsty as though I had just left the
Sahara desert! I’m feeling fine physically. I was aiming for 15 hours, but
my stomach was growling for breakfast. Thanks to Luke’s informative
videos, I know it could be because of Candida. Will do my Candida
cleanse soon. For most people, 12 hours fasting may be easy, but I’m not
one who can fast easily. The support of this Sangha and Luke’s videos
motivated me and I’m glad for this lifestyle change I’m making.”
-Kaushambi Shah

“Today I completed 15 hours of dry fasting and I’m feeling wonderful.
Generally I get acidity if I skip meals for too long but in fact, it’s the
opposite now. I think I can pull it off longer than this but since it’s my
first I stopped at15 hours. That keeping your body devoid of food and
water makes you irritable is a misconception. I have not felt such
calmness in a while now. There is a sudden clarity in my mind or
mindfulness. This is a great feeling. Thank you, Luke. Feeling content.”
-Archana Singh

“Thanks, Luke for showing us the path to wellness. It’s not just me but I
am encouraging my family, my two kids and my Momzee (who is here as
her cataract surgery was done here last month). My son who is very
much aware of his health and of Luke’s magic agreed in one go and I
didn’t have to convince Mom much as she is a master of fasting and does
it very often (which I now appreciate and encourage her to do. I used to
lecture her that it was better to eat properly at her age. She is thankful to
Luke for this.

Wo bhi soch raha hoga Mumma subah uthte peeche lag jati hai ye kha lo
wo kha lo. He must be at ease and relaxed ki Jaan bachi; he must be
thankful to Luke every moment. My daughter who I am very sure will get
up late will easily cover her 14 -hr fast as well. My husband is traveling
and I will ask him to join in at least for a day for whatever time he can. It
is a boon that the maid is on leave this dry fast. We can focus on the
Saraswati Puja to be performed (in which ideally we do the Puja on an
empty stomach). Yesterday, today and tomorrow… yay!”
-Sonu Singh

“Things I learnt during and after my 17-hr DF:

1. I have done fasts before but this time I heard and felt what my body
said.
2. I was free from gas (caused by not eating or wrong bingeing) and
bloating (caused by overeating).
3. I slept like a baby for eight hrs after many months.
4. In the morning, I realised that I didn’t need a glass of water to empty
my bowels.
5. My mind was hyperactive and I was in a great mood. God knows why.
6. I had my first sip of water and first bite of food later. It had never
tasted so good. So little food gave so much satisfaction and I did not
crave more.
7. I actually had water at room temperature (it’s a bit cold in this
weather) without warming it, which I usually do, and I didn’t suffer from
the consequent throat ache.
8. I am ready for my next global dry fast!
Thanks and love you all!”
-Garima Agarwal

“Completed 22 hours of dry fast and broke it with 300 ml water and a
few dates. Will have fruits now.
I didn’t feel any weakness, neither did I have headaches or hunger
pangs. Didn’t even feel tempted while making dosas for my girls (I love
dosas). Did all the household chores. In fact, even after breaking the fast
I don’t feel like eating anything now. Thanks Luke Coutinho and Sangha
for the motivation. Feeling good. I never thought that I could stay
without water for so long but the body knows everything...
Grateful to everyone for inspiring one another.”
-Smita Shibu


“Dry fasted for 21 hours. I feel refreshed; moreover, I feel a sudden
change in my mindset. I’m more positive than before. I think dry fasting
helps in curing the low phase/mood swings and reorganises the hormone
imbalances. Thanks Luke Coutinho and Sangha.”
-Disha Sachdeva

“Did 16 hours dry fast and also went to my power yoga class after 13
hours of fasting. Apart from other asanas, did 51 complete cycles of
Surya Namaskar. Didn’t know I was capable of doing it without food and
water. Thank you for making me meet the new energetic me.”
-Pooja Gandhi

“Sixth day of dry fasting. I have a fantastic feeling that I can keep my
mind strong. I can also run 10 km without any energy dips!”
-Gazel Agarwal

“I want to share how Luke and this group changed my passion and my
lifestyle. I was a foodie and ate so much junk, you guys can never
imagine. Every day I ate a lot of junk because I had no knowledge about
it. I knew this was unhealthy but still couldn’t control myself. Food was
everything to me. I loved pizza, stuffed garlic bread, brownie, samosas,
everything. I’m very passionate about cooking and I started a cooking
channel. One day my sis-in-law told me to follow Luke’s channel. I
subscribed and that channel changed my life. I realised how simple it
was to stay healthy. I have realised the importance of health. Luke
became a Godfather to me. I decided to make healthy recipes as well
since many people don’t know the simple things needed to make a
healthy lifestyle. So I decided to inspire more people...my lifestyle has
fully changed. Now I live for healthy food. I wake up and have three
glasses of lemon jeera water. For lunch, I have fruits and seeds, Indian
tea with rusk and then for dinner, I have dal chaval and salad. I am able
to exercise. I have no cravings. I do two days intermittent fasting and
one day dry fast in a week. I eat cheat meal as well but without any guilt
I enjoy... A special thanks to Luke. I always pray for him and hope that
he inspires more people. I wish him success. Hope I can succeed as well
with your help and support.”
-Anonymous

“I’m a junk food addict. I eat in between meals! Since I started following
Luke, I changed my lifestyle and never in my life have I thought I could
achieve Dry Fasting Completion of 14 hrs with no headaches and no
thirst. I was perfectly fine and broke my fast with 250 ml warm water,
two dates, two walnuts and some watermelon! After 30 minutes, I had my
organic coconut milk with a bit of saffron (hot) and a slice of rye
pumpkin seed bread with a bit of pure almond butter! I feel fantastic!
I am a Lukey! My angel Luke Coutinho, how can I thank you enough!”
-Sonia Gurnamal

“Thanks, Luke and Sangha for all the inspiration. Just broke my 38 hrs
dry fast and I’m feeling energetic. Did all my house chores and walked
around 10 k steps. Thanks. Feeling positive.”
-Siddhi Gupta

“I have broken my DF fast after 44 hrs. I’m full of energy. I ran 10 km
each day. Here I want to share my experience during DF. I feel so calm
and relaxed...no hunger pangs, no thirst. It’s the first time I enjoyed the
calmness in my body…love it!”
-Poonam Singhal

“Awesome experience. Completed 17 hrs of DF. Worked out for 1.5
hours while fasting. I was really worried that I might not be able to do
without water but it was not as difficult as I thought. It is really mind
over body. And magically the soreness in my throat vanished overnight
without any medicine...I guess it’s the self-healing mechanism of the
body. All set for Day 3.”
-Rasika Dhingra

“Good morning everyone! DF DAY 3 is about to get over in a few hours.
I like the way Luke Coutinho has instilled values such as the value of
worshiping the body and encouraged us to follow some rules for the
betterment of the body system. It’s not as difficult as we think. It’s
completely a mind thing. You start feeling that one can control the mind
in a positive way.

Follow this community religiously knowing that we all have to follow if
not everything a few things whichever way we can. There is so much to
learn from different people across the country...my husband isn’t part of
the group but in these three days of the DF CHALLENGE, he followed
without saying NO though he has hunger pangs today. The challenge
becomes more challenging once the 18-hr window is complete. Thank
you so much, Sangha and Luke, for motivating and inspiring us. Right
now I definitely feel more energised, full of positivity, absolutely
wonderful and healthy. Thanks and gratitude to Luke for making us
understand what we are worth. Three cheers to our community group!
Have a great day, everyone!”
-Monia Malhotra

“Third day dry fast ended at 9.30 after 14.5 hrs. Today had a glass of
water with three dates. After some time, I had soaked nuts and seeds.
Then at 11, I had an orange and banana. Will have lunch at 2.30.
Everything went off well. I suffered from no hunger pangs or thirst. My
body felt lighter. I could do all my household chores without any
difficulty. I have come to the conclusion that it’s all in the mind. If you
know how to control your mind, everything will fall into place. I had a
big phobia of thirst and I had a small bottle in my purse wherever I went.
Now I know I can survive without food and water for at least 16 hrs and
more if required. Thank you, Luke Coutinho and my Sangha family.”
-Seema Roy

“Broke my dry fast and completed 15 hrs. Had 200ml of water then
papaya and banana.
Forty-five minutes later, drank one big jug of lime water. My unwanted
cravings have reduced drastically.”
-Anita Singh

“Successfully completed 20 hours of dry fast. I could have stretched
longer, no hunger pangs at all. Felt energetic and happy. Broke my fast
with water, raisins and fruits.
Feeling accomplished!!!”
-Daisy Lobo

“Successfully completed three days DF. Such a soothing experience.
Happy to have achieved my goal. My conclusions:
1. Four dates are good enough to break a fast.
2. Having dinner at 6/6.30 pm has a good impact on the digestive system.
3. DF once every week helps you to lose weight and regulate your
system.
4. A person can easily handle DF while doing all his/her work...one has
to choose the timings accordingly.
5. It develops a sense of pride when you are able to restrain your hunger
pangs – the greatest addiction in life.”
-Poonam Chaudhary


“Hi all. Today was the third day of #df. These three days passed as if we
were celebrating a festival with rituals in a very proper way. Although I
was not well yesterday, for the first time I listened to my body and didn’t
eat anything after 4 pm. The magic was that I felt really good until late
in the night and had a sound sleep. Will be breaking my 18-hr fast in
some time. In these three days, I had a lot of cravings for ice cream and
sweets but it was an overall victory.
Thank you, Luke and everyone, here for motivating me. Everyone’s posts
are really motivating.”
-Pooja

“Hi friends, I completed my fifth day of DF in a row for 18 hrs. Feeling
very good, energetic and calm in mind and body. No anxiety at all. I
always have severe fibromyalgia pain and feel very tired but since I’ve
started DF, I can feel that my pain has gone down by 60-70% and I am
more alert and happy. My swelling and bloating have also gone done so
much. Feeling very light and have no craving for any food, even junk
food. Thanks to all of you for such good feedback on your experience of
DF and to Dr. Luke. I will incorporate this DF and IF in my everyday
life every week.”
-Yashoda Bela

“What I learnt during the three-day global dry fast.
1. I’ve learnt that everything is in my mind. My body is neither hungry
nor thirsty. I can survive without water and food for some time.
2. No matter where you are and what you are doing, simple practices
like DF and IF can be done.
Finally and most importantly, I have found a new family in the Sangha
that prays and wishes only for the best.
Thank you for all the support and positive wishes.”
-Harini Machani

“Hey here’s my three-day global dry fasting challenge experience:
Day 1: 16.30 hrs. Day 2: 19 hrs. Day 3 - 16.30 hrs.
During fast: high energy level, 2 pounds weight loss (which I gained
back). No thirst. No hunger pangs. Mild headache on Day 1. Days 2-3
were pretty smooth. Didn’t feel any difference in inflammation. Next day
after the fast: super-high acidity with a lot of chest and arm pain. I guess
gas was building up. Second day after that: I usually have chronic
inflammation but for the last two days, I was able to sleep better at night
without feeling too much pain. On the third day after that: inflammation
became on the lower side. My mobility became better. My throat
troubled me a lot. (Is it a sign that the body is getting rid of toxins?)
When my inflammation didn’t go down during DF, I was disappointed.
That was my main goal. But a sweet surprise was around the corner. I
felt so much better after two days of DF. I guess my body reacted late.
LUKE COUTINHO, where were you all these years? I wish I had met
you before. I could have probably reversed my disease. I am happy and
thankful that DF helped me to manage my pain level. Am planning to do
it once a week or more. My heartfelt gratitude.”
-Praneeta Kumad

“I did DF for 36 hours. Surprisingly, I was not hungry at all but I was
thirsty. I wanted to be energetic as I continued with my fast but my body
felt weak the next day, so I broke my fast. While fasting, I noticed that my
meditation was deeper than on other days and my body organs thanked
me for giving a holiday the first time in my life; they work for us all day
and all night. This is the first time that they are free. I feel deep gratitude
for my body organs. While fasting, I did a one-hour meditation in the
morning and one hour in the evening. I’ve been feeling energetic all day
long. It is important to keep yourself busy. Thank you, Sangha, and thank
you, Luke, for encouraging us. I am able to do DF and get benefits only
because of Luke...feel so much love and gratitude for Luke Coutinho.”
-Rupa Jjunjunwala

“Hi Luke. Just thought of telling you how dry fasting has helped me. I
had a very bad stomach and had to visit the loo six times in six hours....I
simply decided to dry fast and continued for 18 hours...except for a few
sips of water...I was absolutely fine the next day without taking any
medication.

You are a blessing to all of us. Thank you so much for guiding us free of
charge, especially in this world of hawks where we have to empty our
wallets for simple problems.
God bless.”
-Jyoti

“Luuuuuke!!!!! I successfully completed my dry fasting starting from 3
pm yesterday and had to give up at 5:30 in the morning for my thyroid
medication. Then at eight, I had one date, two almonds, five red raisins,
one Brazil nut, 1/2 walnut (all soaked) and a cup of regular tea. Then at
10 am, I had a banana, a boiled beetroot and a guava.
I can’t believe this. I am feeling so happy and energetic ...my stomach is
happy actually…lol… I’ll have my lunch at 2:30 (wheat/millet roti, dal,
rice, any veg+ curd or buttermilk).
Then again dry fasting starts at around 3.”
-Deepali

“It’s been years since I’ve struggled with major weakness, fatigue and
brain fog...have tried many things but nothing’s worked like dry fasting!
The first day was a bit tough but I’m super-energetic today! Looking
forward to turning this into a permanent lifestyle change! Thank you,
Luke and everyone in the group for the inspiration!”
-Rhidhima Khanna

“First day, 16 hrs done. Coming back home from Bombay. Had severe
headache because of travel and exertion. On the second day, 13 hrs as I
still had a headache. Am fine till now, will go till 16 hrs. Thanks for your
support. Even my stubborn husband has started. 13-hr DF today.
Otherwise, he stays raw till lunch, even when he travels. There is no
craving for parathas and bread for breakfast now. He likes the way you
explain things in your videos. Thank you! You are changing my
husband’s mind.”
-Dimpy Manmohan

“Did three days DF for 12, 13, 14.5 hrs. No bloating and uneasiness.
Just a mild headache on the first day. Am feeling very light and a sense
of satisfaction and happiness that I could also do it.”
-Prabha Vincent

“Luke, hello, hope you doing good. Dry fasting for three days was
spectacular. I feel so amazing and much lighter and filled with more
energy. I could lift weights better at the gym. My skin is looking amazing.
Thank you, Luke.”
-Neeru Surana

“Hi Luke I really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can’t
tell you what a miracle the dry fast has been not just for my skin but my
energy level as well. Before I used to run 6 k but with breaks. For the
last two days, I’ve been running 6 k without stopping and I don’t feel
energy drops or the need to sip water. Trust me, I feel on top of the
world! My abs are beginning to show and this makes me feel amazing. At
45, I’m feeling younger than my son who is 22. He says, ‘Maa you look
amazing and younger than me!’ Thank you, Luke.”
-Anonymous

“Amazing experience after the three-day DF. Energy levels were super
high. Felt so nice within. The last phase almost seemed like a cakewalk.
Maybe I had much more control over my mind and thoughts. Looking
forward to practising this more often and making it a part of my
everyday life. Thanks a million, Luke!”
-Shivani Gupta

“Hi Luke, I did dry fasting last three days and I’m feeling wonderful. I
never thought I could break my habit of having milk tea in the morning. I
used to be sleepy and have constant headaches. I stopped it after
following your intermittent fasting and these days I feel an aversion to
milk tea in the morning. Thanks a lot for this initiative... god bless.”
-Sreevani

“I’m feeling so much better since I started dry fasting. My eyesight is
better now and my eyes don’t feel heavy anymore. My headache has
gone. God bless you.”
-Nattasha

“Dry fasting helped me to get rid of my shoulder pain.”
-Neha Agarwal

“Successfully completed three days. First time ever! Thanks, Sangha and
Luke for the motivation and encouragement. I never thought this was
possible for me as I am so used to morning coffee. I did not feel hungry
after the dry fast, neither did I have a craving for food. Day 1: 14 hrs.
Day 2: 18 hrs. Day 3: 20 hrs. Love this feeling. Never thought I could do
this.”
-Hemalatha Shanmugam

“Day 1:18 hrs. Day 2: 20 hrs. Day 3: 22 hrs. I’m so amazed at the way
my body adapted to this DF. Had never imagined I could pull off a DF
along with work and exercise, but I’m completely fine. No hunger pangs
or craving for unhealthy food. I’m truly grateful for all the motivational
posts and positive vibes around this Sangha.”
-Feltima Dias Mehta

“20, 16, 20 hours of DF completed. It was a wonderful experience.
Feeling energised and positive. Thank you, Luke Coutinho.”
-Vidhya Naidu

“The three-day fast was a wonderful experience giving me positivity and
I was focussed throughout with an energetic vibe. Only couldn’t
understand why I was burping and gassy even though I ate my food
slowly.
Thanks a ton, Luke Coutinho, for inspiring us every day. God bless you
all. I am proud to be a part of the Sangha. Bravo to all of you who
completed the three days fast or more.
Gratitude to the Almighty for everything.”
-Shona Sweets

“Day 1: 14 hrs. Day 2: 15 hrs. Day 3:17 hrs.
It’s because of the support of the strong community that I could do this.
I craved for water on Day 1 as I am used to sipping water all the time.
By the third day, it was perfect...a group of five people from my
workplace have decided to do it once a week – every Tuesday. Three of
them have changed their minds. ‘What rubbish are you doing not eating
and having water for so long?’ to ‘We would like to give it a try too’.
Maybe they saw me glowing and looking really happy.”
-Seema Wahi

“My best achievement? My daughter did 13.5 hours of dry fasting
without any problem. She will try to do more tomorrow. So happy.
Thanks a ton, Luke.”
-Ruchika Kumar

“Day 1: 12 hrs. Day 2: 17.5 hrs. Day 3: 24 hrs. This is my first fasting
attempt!
On day 3, after 21 hours has been extremely difficult. Was craving for
water. But like most of you say, it’s the group effort that made a huge
difference and made me stronger. Yes, I definitely felt much, much
lighter. Can’t thank every one of you enough for the encouragement and
kudos to each of you here who have successfully completed the fast.
Thank you is a small word Luke Coutinho for all that you do! Taarika
Dave Arya: Thank you for leading this from the front.”
-Samara Vemuluri

“Successfully completed three days of DF. Did it for 16.5 hrs on Day 1,
17.5 hrs on Day 2 and 17 hrs on Day 3. Feeling so light and energetic.
Was able to do my walk and workout too along with household chores.
Since I fasted without water, I wasn’t sure about my bowel movements as
I always need to have water daily, but the body heals naturally and has
amazing powers. I had no issue with my bowel movements.
I had the best sleep in those three days of DF as I normally have
disturbed sleep. Lastly, seeing me doing dry fasting, my 10-year-old
daughter was also keen to do it and she couldn’t dry fast but she did IF
for 2 days for 14 hours. Am so happy and thankful for all the motivation
that we get from this group and Luke. God bless everyone.”
-Riya Modi

“Completed 20.5hrs of DF. Was full of enthusiasm. As I was busy with
household chores, I didn’t get the time to even look at the clock. By the
time I finished with work, it was 3 pm. Took some rest. Had a shower
and thought I could still continue for some time so broke it at 4.30 pm
with warm water, two dates, later again one glass of lemon water with
vco and fruits like banana and apple with some soaked seeds. Continued
raw till 6.30 pm and had green juice and walnuts. Since I wanted to do
the third day for 24 hrs, I thought of having jowar roti with methi, dal
and some rice. I’m really happy that my mind, body and will are working
in unison and I would love to continue for the rest of the week too with
DF or IF.
Thanks to all my friends in the Sangha for inspiring one and all with
their guidance and love for each other.”
-Aarti S Anand

“Completed 19 hrs of dry fast and broke it with 300 ml water, a few
dates and a banana. Some more water after 30 mins followed by grapes
and berries. Snacked on dry fruits and nuts.
Dinner was two chapatis with methi sabzi and chicken stir fry at 7:00.
Started third DF at 8 pm yesterday. So far so good. Feeling much, much
lighter. Energy levels are high. Best part is that I lost 1.5 kg and was
able to break the plateau which was really annoying me! Grateful to my
body for letting me do what I thought was Impossible for me.Thanks
Luke Coutinho sir for this mass DF and everyone in this group for
inspiring others with various tips and experiences.”
-Smita Shibu Nair

“Completed Day 1 and Day 2 of 16 hours dry fast. Did only 12 hrs on
Day 3 due to some preplanned event.
Have been practising this for the past one month, so wasn’t very difficult.
In fact, I enjoy doing DF now. It boosts energy and immunity, causes
cells to recover, makes the body feel light... gives so much positivity.”
-Megha Goyal

“I did my first 14-hr long dry fast yesterday. I am a person who can’t
stay hungry for long as it leads to headaches. But I was absolutely okay
after doing it. Was slightly thirsty but I controlled it. Feeling good!
Thanks Luke for the motivation.”
-Dr. Preeti

“This global exercise taught me self-control. Luke Coutinho, you just
opened the doors of profound calmness and self-discipline! Regarding
weight loss, I must say my weight hasn’t budged! Whatever I may have
lost must be the water weight but something is clean within...looking
forward to more inner power to heal. Thank you, Luke!”
-Jalba Gohil

“I am so proud of me and everybody here who tried! If not anything, it
was a good exercise of self-discipline! There is sense of achievement!”
-Deepti

“For me it was four days and those four days were amazing...felt very
light from within, stress levels low...energy level high...good and sound
sleep...not much craving...proper workouts done...healthy eating
...thanks Luke.”
-Clotilda Carlo

“I could do 12/12/14 and still find it incredible and be proud that I could
dry fast for such long durations. Felt very motivated by your constant
guidance, motivation and inspiring videos...feel very light, energetic and
at peace.”
-Priya Vakil

“GLOBAL 3 DAY DRY FAST CHALLENGE’ – Dry fasting has already
become an integral part of my ‘LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION’ for the
last three months in my ongoing ‘TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY’. I do
it twice every week on Tuesday and Saturday for 16 hrs. My
‘WELLNESS MENTOR’ Luke gave me ‘INSPIRATION’ on Global Dry
Fasting and triggered my ‘MIND’ to do this challenge for three days
from January 21, 8 pm onwards. I’ve never done ‘DRY FASTING’ for
three consecutive days. I participated in this challenge and completed
the three-day global dry fast successfully today.
January 21 (Day 1) - 16 hrs from 8 pm to 12 noon
January 22 (Day 2) - 16 hrs from 8 pm to 12 noon
January 23 (Day 3) - 17 hrs from 8 pm to 1 pm
Dry Fasting is important as it ‘HEALS and REPAIRS’ our body from
within because we give a break to the ‘DIGESTIVE SYSTEM’ without
food and water. Grateful to our wellness mentor Luke Coutinho for this
‘MOTIVATION’ to do community fasting together on a global scale.
God bless everyone who participated in this challenge with health and
happiness. Aasaan hai!!!
-Jayanand Wagh

“I have been fasting on and off but have never heard or followed dry
fasting till I watched Luke Coutinho’s video. Today is my third day of dry
fasting for 16 hours. I feel I have broken my own barrier. I was sceptical
but after reading everyone’s posts, I was motivated to go ahead. I suffer
from acidity and migraine attacks often. Am proud to share that the past
three days have been the best. I’m more energetic and feel great. A
special thanks to Monica Soans for introducing me to this amazing
group. God bless every one. Thank You, Luke.”
-Anita Karani

“I just broke my 29-hr dry fast and I can’t even tell you all how
energetic I am feeling. This is the first time I have managed for so long
and this is the first time I am feeling so full of energy.
Thanks, Luke Coutinho for introducing us to this wonderful technique
called dry fasting.”
-Disha Sachdeva

“It was so easy this time to do karvachauth. I did dry fasting till 12 noon
and then water fast...will break the fast after moon rise. Thanks, Luke
Coutinho for helping me discover my inner willpower.”
-Preeti

“Completed 20 hrs of dry fast. Could have lasted more but halted due to
an anxious husband who was more amazed seeing me hopping like an
energised Duracell bunny around the house. Also completed my morning
exercise and walked 10 k steps. This is how I broke my fast:
1. A glass of warm water with a date, few soaked cashews and pistas
with cacao nibs.
2. A handful of strawberries and blueberries with a tbsp of almonds,
cashews, brazil nut butter.
3. After 30 mins had a glass of unstrained vegetable juice.
4. After an hour had an early dinner (7.30pm) of poha made with
vegetables and cauli-rice (an excellent low-carb and nutrient-dense
substitute for rice).
5. Realised at 9 pm that I still wanted some food, so wrapped the day
with a sunny-side-up egg and a turmeric latte made in coconut milk.
Thank you for all your inspiration!”
-Richa Walia

“Broke my first day of #3dayGDF 16 hours with lukewarm water and
two dates, a handful of seeds, almonds, grapes and pomegranate.
Will have lunch when I feel hungry....
Such an amazing feeling. I shall post my entire experience after three
days...
Cheers to us and a big thank you to Luke Sir and my Sangha for their
constant support and love. Much love and gratitude.”
-Pallavi Bhoirekar

“Dry fasting is the best way to remove toxins from the body. The first
day was difficult as I was hungry and even had a bit of a headache. But
the next time was better and now it’s like I wait to do dry fast. This
change has occurred only in a month! While dry fasting, my energy level
is good. No headaches now. I don’t feel hungry. Thanks so much, dear,
for introducing me to dry fasting.”
-Jasbir Rao

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting

2. The impact of religious fasting on human health:
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/ 1475-2891-9-57

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20534972

4. http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/early/2012/02/06/

scitranslmed.3003293

5. https://www.cancer.net/blog/2016-10/fasting-during-cancer-treatment-it-safe

6. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/ 170216103923.htm

7. http://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(17)30130-7

8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20534972

9. http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(12)00003-4

10. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/

journal.pone.0002906

11. http://www.psy-journal.com/article/S0165-1781(12) 00815-3/fulltext

12. https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/ articles/10.1186/1743-
7075-7-7

13. http://www.psy-journal.com/article/S0165-1781(12) 00815-3/fulltext

14. https://www.naturalnews.com/050409_longevity_ natural_health_five-
day_fast.html

15. https://ancienthealingsecrets.wordpress.com/

16. http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/12/11/ neuroscientist-shows-
what-fasting-does-to-your-brain-why-big-pharma-wont-study-it/

17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC 2815756/

18. http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/fasting-brain-health-
benefits_us_5846f164e4b0fe5ab693171

19. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-02/cp-dmo021617.php

20. http://news.usc.edu/63669/fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regeneration-of-
damaged-old-immune-system/

21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16581971

22. https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/28-ways-to-stimulate-your-vagus-nerve-
and-all-you-need-to-know-about-it/#14_Fasting

23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17201801

24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11189024

Gratitude

Gratitude to Taarika, a dear friend who helped me put all this together.

Gratitude to my family and colleagues for allowing me to put this together.

Gratitude to thousands of people across the world and personal clients who did
these fasts and kept sharing their progress. This kept me on the path.

Gratitude to my amazing family and Sangha from where I draw energy and
meaning.

I would like to express thanks and gratitude to Sheikha Noura Al Nuaimi and her
family for inspiring me with wisdom from the holy books and its connection
with health and fasting.